Head-to-head comparison
St Olaf College vs The College of Saint Scholastica: which has better ROI?
Option A Northfield, MN
St Olaf College
- Net price / year
- $23,874
- Earnings, 10 years
- $65,543
- Payback
- 5.6 yrs
Option B Duluth, MN
The College of Saint Scholastica
- Net price / year
- $27,846
- Earnings, 10 years
- $65,934
- Payback
- 6.3 yrs
St Olaf College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $95,496 in 5.6 years versus 6.3 years at The College of Saint Scholastica, on median earnings of $65,543 vs $65,934 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | St Olaf College | The College of Saint Scholastica |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,874 | $27,846 |
| Total net cost | $95,496 | $111,384 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $65,543 | $65,934 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $20,000 |
| Payback | 5.6 yrs | 6.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $248,164 | $240,096 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, St Olaf College or The College of Saint Scholastica?
St Olaf College, at $23,874 a year after aid versus $27,846 — a gap of $3,972 a year, or $15,888 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do St Olaf College or The College of Saint Scholastica graduates earn more?
The College of Saint Scholastica graduates report a median $65,934 ten years after entry, $391 more than the $65,543 at St Olaf College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, St Olaf College or The College of Saint Scholastica?
The College of Saint Scholastica: its completers carry a median $20,000 in federal loans versus $26,000 at St Olaf College, a difference of $6,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
84% of students finish at St Olaf College, against 71% at The College of Saint Scholastica. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.