Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublic

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota·Public, 4-year or above·Plains·stcloudstate.edu
6-yr Graduation
40%
-13.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
10,732
peer median 9,203
Avg net price
$13,529
-$3.6k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
5,976
5,976 candidates competed
Admitted
5,665
94.8% acceptance rate
Enrolled
938
16.6% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
40%-13.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
25%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
39%
Full-time retention
71%

Pell equity

12.6pp gap
Pell recipients
33%165 of 505
Non-Pell (all)
46%333 of 730
Subsidized loan, no Pell
42%100 of 240
No Federal Aid
48%233 of 490

Non-Pell students graduate at a 12.6-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 157 Title IV programs, 47 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 3 fail. 107 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
157
Passing
47
29.9% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
3
1.9% of portfolio
Fail rate
1.9%
+1.3pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

157programs
  • Passing47 · 29.9%
  • No Data107 · 68.2%
  • Failing3 · 1.9%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
1
Recoverable
2
At Risk
2
Watch
4
Safe
41
No data
107

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

50
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-8.4%
$56,652 vs $61,854
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-5.0%
$58,788 vs $61,854
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-2.9%
$35,421 vs $36,491
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+3.2%
$63,851 vs $61,854
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+5.4%
$38,464 vs $36,491
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
+17.0%
$54,277 vs $46,391
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
Master's Degree · Education
+17.6%
$54,550 vs $46,391
Ecology Evolution Systematics and Population Biology
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+21.6%
$44,386 vs $36,491

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

3
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-5.0%
−$3,066
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-2.9%
−$1,070
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+3.2%
+$1,997

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

38
Special Education and Teaching
Graduate Certificate · Education
66%
$39,345 debt · $59,443 earn
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
64%
$37,455 debt · $58,788 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
55%
$27,000 debt · $48,923 earn
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
55%
$26,200 debt · $47,619 earn
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
55%
$29,735 debt · $54,277 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
53%
$20,500 debt · $38,464 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
51%
$23,250 debt · $45,386 earn
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
45%
$21,908 debt · $48,296 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1947Next review Aug 2027

Programmatic accreditations · 7

Action history · 7

  1. Feb 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  2. May 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  3. Feb 2017Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  4. Feb 2017Renewal of Accreditation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  5. Aug 2014Change in Agency recognition
    National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation · Art and Design (ART) - Degree-granting schools and departments and non-degree-granting programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$8,909
$30–48k$9,871
$48–75k$12,034
$75–110k$14,781
$110k+$18,989

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$13,529
-$3,591vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $17,121
Federal loans
23.5%
In-state tuition
$10,245
Out-of-state
$10,245

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 2,321 students received $12.4M in Pell grants, alongside $23.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
2,321
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$12.4M
$12,417,639 total
Direct Loans
$23.2M
3,674 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

3k
’20
2k
’21
2k
’22
2k
’23
2k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$4.9M
1,286 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$7.0M
1,578 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$9.8M
683 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.0M
87 loan awards
Grad PLUS$451K
40 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 2,920 borrowers who entered repayment, 45 (1.5%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.5%
-0.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
2,920
Defaulted
45
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
4.6%
2017
5.2%
2018
4.6%
2019
1.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Saint Cloud State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs144
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,624 total completions
01Business
42526.2%
02Education
23514.5%
03Health Professions
20112.4%
04Computer Sciences
1569.6%
05Psychology
1267.8%
06Engineering Tech
1187.3%
07Liberal Arts
1096.7%
08Engineering
915.6%
09Public Admin
835.1%
10Biological Sciences
804.9%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
10,732
12-mo unduplicated
12,928
Undergraduate
10,287
Graduate
2,641

Gender split

Men
44%5,691
Women
56%7,237

Race / ethnicity composition

White
58.5%
Non-resident
13.9%
Black
12.9%
Hispanic
5.3%
Asian
4.2%
Two or more
4.1%
Unknown
0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.0%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
382
200 M · 182 W
Women athletes
47.6%
Athletic aid
$2.3M
Total student aid
Budget
$12.0M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.1M
$1.2M
Recruiting expense
$118K
$113K
Head-coach salaries
$164K
$91K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 10

Swimming and Diving (combined)
43 M · 36 W
$775K
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
— · 69 W
$337K
Soccer
31 M · 27 W
$686K
Ice Hockey
27 M · 26 W
$4.5M
Wrestling
45 M · —
$688K
Baseball
39 M · —
$518K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
1.05
11 offenses · 10,514 students

3-year trend

0.742 yrs ago0.101 yr ago1.05Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
20
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
15
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Aggravated assault
4
Burglary
3
Rape
2
Robbery
1
Fondling
1

By location

11total
  • On campus9
  • Public property2

Includes 7 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

1
Domestic violence
6
Dating violence
1
Stalking
8 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons10
Drugs013
Liquor134

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
18.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
305

Saint Cloud State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Saint Cloud State selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectSaint Cloud State University
40%—10,732$13,529Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Minnesota-Duluth
65%88.8%9,253$18,743Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Southwest Minnesota State University
44%62.2%8,214$15,291Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Minnesota State University-Mankato
53%88.4%15,271$19,139Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Minnesota State University Moorhead
57%58.8%4,386$17,997Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Northwest Missouri State University
54%86.1%9,152$16,244Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median54%86.1%9,203$17,121

Institutions like Saint Cloud State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Saint Cloud State's comparison group.

IPEDS

Saint Cloud State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Analytics & Institutional Research
Reports to Information Technology Services
Phone
(320) 308-7000
Address
720 4th Avenue South, St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498

Data Integration provides insightful and robust data assets to our campus community for current and future decision making. Data is an important asset and leveraging data is a critical component in delivering the core mission of SCSU.

Visit IR office page

Common Data Set

Saint Cloud State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
95.0%
Accessible
Yield
18.8%
of admitted students enroll
Student–faculty ratio
17 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$9,303
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
5,026
Admitted
4,772
Enrolled
897

5,026 applied → 4,772 admitted (95.0%) → 897 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
95.0%

Accessible — 95.0% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men94.4%
women95.4%

Admit rate varies by gender.

High-school class rank

C10
top tenth8%
top quarter30%
top half58%
bottom half42%
bottom quarter11%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important3
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic Grade Point Average (GPA)
Important1
Standardized test scores
Considered2
RecommendationsApplication essay
Not Considered12
InterviewExtracurriculuar activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affilitation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant's interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$19,240
Tuition
$7,50539%
Fees
$1,3077%
Room & board
$10,42854%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $19,240 (2024-2025).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$19,240
Net (aided)
$9,303
Avg need grant
$9,937

Sticker $19,240 → about $9,303 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($9,937); 88% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Federal54.9%
State43.7%
Institutional1.1%
External0.4%

1% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
58%
Avg debt
$29,937

58% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $29,937 on average.

03

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students178
10-19 students180
20-29 students166
30-39 students73
40-49 students25
50-59 students11
100+ students2

56% of classes have under 20 students; 0% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
17 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
70%
Women faculty
50%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing19.1%
Education9.9%
Health professions and related programs9.8%
Psychology7.7%
Computer and information sciences7.3%
Engineering6.3%
Interdisciplinary studies6.1%
Biological/life sciences5.2%

STEM-dominant: ~24% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

04

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,329
Admitted
1,288
Enrolled
635

1,329 transfer applicants → 1,288 admitted (96.9%) → 635 enrolled

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Saint Cloud State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Saint Cloud State.

What is the graduation rate at Saint Cloud State University?

Saint Cloud State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 40% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Saint Cloud State University?

Saint Cloud State University reports a total enrollment of 10,732 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Saint Cloud State University?

The average net price at Saint Cloud State University is $13,529 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Saint Cloud State University?

Saint Cloud State University's yield rate is 16.6%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Saint Cloud State University located?

Saint Cloud State University is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498.

Who runs Institutional Research at Saint Cloud State University?

Saint Cloud State University's IR work is done by the Analytics & Institutional Research, which reports to Information Technology Services.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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