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Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse Lewis and Clark Gustavus Adolphus College| St Olaf College | Wisconsin Lutheran College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Milwaukee, WI | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,046 | 1,086 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #156 | #532 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | wlc.edu | ||
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Costs |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,650 | $33,210 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,650 | $33,210 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,450 | $11,380 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,171 | $22,682 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $40,399 | $23,128 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,524 | 1,474 | ||
| Admitted | 3,116 | 1,383 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 56.4% | 93.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.9% | 22.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.54 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1480 | 1038/1243 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $43,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 77% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $258 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 33% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | WLC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- St Olaf College is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,086 students)
St Olaf vs. WLC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or WLC?
- St Olaf College is 64.6% more expensive to attend than WLC for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $33,210.00)
- Out of state tuition is 64.6% higher at St Olaf than Wisconsin Lutheran College ($54,650.00 vs. $33,210.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wisconsin Lutheran College than St Olaf ($22,682 vs. $26,171)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wisconsin Lutheran College are 9.4% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($11,380 vs. $12,450)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 74.7% larger than aid received Wisconsin Lutheran College ($40,399 vs. $23,128)
St Olaf vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or WLC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WLC or St Olaf .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 181 points higher than at WLC (1101)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at WLC (24)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at WLC (3.54)
- WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than St Olaf (56.4%)
St Olaf vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf or WLC? 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 WLC and St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (85% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $10,700 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $43,000)
- Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
- WLC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WLC students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 77%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/