More selective than 9% of Minnesota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,116. College Scorecard.
Higher than 6% of Minnesota colleges we cover and 26% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 35% of Minnesota colleges we cover and 58% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Saint Cloud State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,026 applicants, Saint Cloud State University admitted 4,772 and 897 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1025–1260 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Saint Cloud State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Minnesota residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Saint Cloud State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Saint Cloud State University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Minnesota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,909 | $40,269 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $9,871 | $44,617 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $12,034 | $54,394 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $14,781 | $66,810 | 3.8 years |
| $110k+ | $18,989 | $85,830 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (27% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($55,813) minus $38,184 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,629 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Saint Cloud State University majors, earnings & careers
Saint Cloud State University offers 74 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 12
- Science & Math · 11
- Humanities & Languages · 9
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Engineering · 7
- Arts & Design · 5
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at Saint Cloud State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $107,133 | $27,000 |
| Computer Science | $103,765 | $27,360 |
| Electrical Engineering | $90,009 | $30,088 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $87,503 | $27,090 |
| Nursing | $84,470 | $29,000 |
| Information Technology | $80,331 | $25,250 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $78,067 | $28,882 |
| Accounting | $76,080 | $27,175 |
Quick list of all 74 majors
- Accounting$76,080
- Air Transportation—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$59,483
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology$57,108
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$62,595
- Biotechnology—
- Business—
- Business Administration$64,191
- Business Economics—
- Chemistry—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
- Communications$56,388
- Computer Engineering$107,133
- Computer Science$103,765
- Criminal Justice$66,850
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$44,386
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$45,386
- Education (Subject Teaching)$48,923
- Electrical Engineering$90,009
- Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians—
- English$38,464
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$59,549
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography$35,421
- Finance$70,259
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$45,990
- History—
- Hospitality Management—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$73,695
- Information Science / Studies—
- Information Technology$80,331
- Insurance—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations$48,463
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems—
- Manufacturing Engineering—
- Marketing$74,847
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$87,503
- Medical Laboratory Science$78,067
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$56,547
- Music—
- Nursing$84,470
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$54,302
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$48,305
- Psychology$52,031
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)$49,922
- Public Health$50,932
- Real Estate—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Science, Technology and Society—
- Social Work$52,765
- Sociology$52,455
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$48,296
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$58,587
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$47,619
- Theatre—
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in St. Cloud
Overall prices in the St. Cloud, MN area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,233. Housing costs 35% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 30 inches of rain a year, 48 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Stearns County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Stearns County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Saint Cloud State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Minnesota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Cloud State University | 95% | $13,529 | 40% | $55,813 | This school |
| Metropolitan State University | 99% | $16,863 | 44% | $64,705 | |
| Winona State University | 75% | $17,503 | 57% | $58,532 | |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | 88% | $12,212 | 50% | $58,056 | |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | 89% | $18,743 | 65% | $62,616 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Saint Cloud State University would cost you $3,334 less per year than Metropolitan State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Saint Cloud State University.
- Metropolitan State University gives aided families $722 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Minnesota resident | Saint Cloud State University | Metropolitan State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $21,116 | $25,172 | −$4,056 |
| Average grants | −$7,587 | −$8,309 | +$722 |
| You pay | $13,529 | $16,863 | −$3,334 |
“+” means Saint Cloud State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Saint Cloud State University
What is the Saint Cloud State University acceptance rate?
Saint Cloud State University accepts 95% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,772 of 5,026 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1025–1260 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
How much does Saint Cloud State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,116 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,529 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,909 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,989.
How much do Saint Cloud State University graduates earn?
Former Saint Cloud State University students earn a median $55,813 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Saint Cloud State University graduation rate?
40% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year.
How long does a Saint Cloud State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Saint Cloud State University costs about $54,394 after grants ($12,034 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $55,813 ten years after starting, $17,629 more than high school graduates in Minnesota ($38,184), so the cost is repaid in 3.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Saint Cloud State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/saint-cloud-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).