St Olaf vs. Whitman College

Should I go to St Olaf College or Whitman College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St Olaf or Whitman College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Carleton College Lewis and Clark Reed Gonzaga Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota UW-Seattle Oxy Whitworth University Oberlin
St Olaf College vs. Whitman College comparison
St Olaf College Whitman College College 3 College 4
St Olaf College Whitman College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

St Olaf Whitman College
Location Northfield, MN Walla Walla, WA
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 3,046 1,493
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #84
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stolaf.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St Olaf Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $54,650 $58,200
Tuition (Out of State) $54,650 $58,200
Room & Board $12,450 $14,220
Avg Net Price $26,171 $39,935
Avg Grant Aid $40,399 $32,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

St Olaf Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,524 5,497
Admitted 3,116 2,622
Acceptance Rate 56.4% 47.7%
Enrolled % 27.9% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 30/33
SAT Range 1300/1480 1293/1473
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

St Olaf Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

St Olaf Whitman College
Graduation Rate 85% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $180

Diversity

St Olaf Whitman College
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 72%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

St Olaf Whitman College
% In-State 47% 27%
% Out-of-State 43% 59%

Campus

St Olaf Whitman College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,493 students)

St Olaf vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Whitman College?

  • Whitman College is 6.5% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($58,200.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Whitman College than St Olaf College ($58,200.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Whitman College ($26,171 vs. $39,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 14.2% lower than costs at Whitman College ($12,450 vs. $14,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Whitman College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 26.1% larger than aid received Whitman College ($40,399 vs. $32,047)

St Olaf vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or Whitman College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Whitman College or St Olaf .

  • The average SAT score at Whitman College (1314) is 32 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming Whitman College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at St Olaf (29)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have at the same average high school GPA (3.68) as students at Whitman College (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Whitman College (47.7%)

St Olaf vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St Olaf or Whitman College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Whitman College and St Olaf.

  • The graduation rate at Whitman College is higher than St Olaf College (86% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Whitman College earn on average $3,200 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $53,700)
  • Whitman College students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($17,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Whitman College graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($180 vs. $279)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St Olaf students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 91%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/