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Saint Cloud, MN · Public · 5,088 undergraduates · urban

Saint Cloud State University

Less selective

St. Cloud State is a practical Minnesota regional university with distinctive options in aviation, computing, business, education, and applied sciences.

Campus image / © 2026 SmugMug, Inc.

Institutional profile

Regionally focused Strong in affordability, and steady in career outcomes.
Academic Emerging Affordability Strong Career Steady Mobility Emerging Experience Emerging
Academic standing Emerging
Affordability Strong
Career outcomes Steady
Mobility Emerging
Student experience Emerging
Admission
95% admitted

5,026 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
51%

$55,813 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets Saint Cloud State University apart

Academic design

Aviation, cybersecurity, business, engineering technology, education, and health-related programs emphasize professional preparation.

Campus pattern

Campus lines the Mississippi River in central St. Cloud.

Career & value signal

Regional employers and proximity to the Twin Cities expand internship and employment reach.

Can I get in?

95% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

5,026

About 95 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 95%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%970–1280
7801480
ACT middle 50%18–25
1330

Of admitted students, 2% submitted an SAT, and 34% submitted an ACT. Because SAT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA12%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for Saint Cloud State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What Saint Cloud State University weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Aviation, cybersecurity, business, engineering technology, education, and health-related programs emphasize professional preparation.

02

Make institutional fit specific

St. Cloud State is a practical Minnesota regional university with distinctive options in aviation, computing, business, education, and applied sciences.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Application routeInstitution application

$0 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$25,950
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$14,000
Affordability profileStrong

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at Saint Cloud State University

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years51%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one69.4%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$55,813

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

Recent graduates106
Median earnings$56,547

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

Recent graduates77
Median earnings$80,331

Admits separately

Psychology, General

Recent graduates74
Median earnings$52,031

What is campus life like?

Saint Cloud State University beyond the classroom

Campus lines the Mississippi River in central St. Cloud.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Aviation, cybersecurity, business, engineering technology, education, and health-related programs emphasize professional preparation.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Campus lines the Mississippi River in central St. Cloud.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

Regional employers and proximity to the Twin Cities expand internship and employment reach.

5,088 undergraduatesMidwesturban setting60% of first-year students live on campus