Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) vs Metro State

Saint Cloud State University and Metropolitan State University, both esteemed institutions in Minnesota, offer distinct educational experiences. Saint Cloud State, nestled in the scenic Mississippi River Valley, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. Metropolitan State, located in the vibrant Twin Cities area, attracts a more significant proportion of transfer students and offers a wider range of online programs. While Saint Cloud State excels in fields like business, education, and nursing, Metropolitan State shines in areas such as criminal justice, social work, and hospitality. Both universities prioritize student success, reflected in their supportive academic environments and dedicated faculty. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Metropolitan State University	Saint Cloud State University
Overview
Location	Saint Paul, Minnesota	Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	65.0%	62.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.6%	94.3%
Application fees	$20	$40
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score		39.0%
Total number of applicants	650	4,228
Total number of admissions given out	433	3,988
Admitted students who chose to enroll	133	837
Yield rate	30.7%	21.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$33,727	In state: $22,317 Out of state: $31,157
Average net price	$16,830	$13,615
Tuition	$8,282	In state: $7,839 Out of state: $16,679
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $6,036 Meal plan: $3,311
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	97.0% Average amount $6,790	83.0% Average amount $6,233
Students receiving federal student loan	29.0% Average amount $4,675	48.0% Average amount $5,504
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	12.0% Average amount $10,683

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,000 Men 42.0% Women 58.0%	8,956 Men 45.7% Women 54.3%
Graduate students	914 Men 40.5% Women 59.5%	1,818 Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	3.1%	10.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	N/A	1,642
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Psychology	Education Health Professions Business Engineering Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	38.4%	47.2%
Dropout rate	28.8%	16.2%
Transferred out	30.1%	34.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,050 Year 2: $76,998 Year 3: $82,901 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,701 Year 2: $68,821 Year 3: $77,450 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,045 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $73,235 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,528 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $69,642 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,630 Year 2: $65,131 Year 3: $69,109 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,220 Year 2: $53,775 Year 3: $64,626 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,103 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $63,483 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,095 Year 2: $49,784 Year 3: $53,451 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,903 Year 2: $51,077 Year 3: $53,162 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,058 Year 2: $45,816 Year 3: $50,804	Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $80,556 Year 3: $94,800 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $79,020 Year 2: $75,204 Year 3: $92,834 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,563 Year 2: $70,009 Year 3: $81,117 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,734 Year 2: $59,253 Year 3: $78,506 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,589 Year 2: $63,377 Year 3: $74,072 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,404 Year 2: $66,377 Year 3: $68,544 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $58,522 Year 3: $66,211 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,623 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $63,637 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,397 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $62,291 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,276 Year 2: $51,273 Year 3: $57,748

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