Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN · MidwestQuad's selectivityOpen

Known forTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Saint Cloud State admits about 9 in 10 applicants (95%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 13% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

95%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

5,976

Admitted

5,665

Yield

17%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1025–1260

8001600

ACT middle 50%

17–25

1236

Applications +1% since fall 2014 · admit rate 82% → 95%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 5,088 undergrads, where 22% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

5.1K

undergrads · larger than 78% of colleges

Diversity index

0.62

Pell Grant

22%

below the median

First generation

27%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate ConferenceROTCStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.43 → 0.62 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (7% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 64% of faculty are full-time. Spends $9,755 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,835 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.4K less than the national median. The 84% who received grants paid $14,735 on average; the other 16% paid the full sticker price of $23,747.

25%

$17.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.4K below the national median

Full price, in-state: $23,747 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes

Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 25% of full price

Federal loans

24%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −20% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $55,813 ten years after enrolling, more than at 57% of colleges; 51% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.3 years of that salary.

51%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$55.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$21.1K

≈ $223/month for 10 years

Retention

71%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 45% → 40% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 11% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 20%, because grants grew faster. Applications held about steady since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 82% to 95%.

Cost
Falling
−20% after inflation
Applications
Steady
+1%
Selectivity
Less selective
admit rate 82% → 95%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.43 → 0.62

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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University of Colorado Colorado Springs

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Oregon Institute of Technology

95% admit · SAT 1158 · 2.9K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Saint Cloud State University (2026)
Saint Cloud State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 174783 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything