St Olaf College vs Williams College
St Olaf College and Williams College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. St Olaf, a Christian college in Northfield, Minnesota, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Williams, a secular college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, has a highly selective 13% acceptance rate. St Olaf's student body is predominantly white (86%) and female (56%), while Williams' student body is more diverse, with 53% white students and a 50-50 gender ratio. Both colleges offer a wide range of majors, with popular choices at St Olaf including nursing, biology, and music, and popular choices at Williams including economics, English, and political science. With graduation rates of 84% and 96% respectively, both institutions ensure that their students are well-prepared for their post-graduate endeavors. Explore the comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two excellent colleges and find the one that best
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![]() St Olaf College |
![]() Williams College |
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Overview |
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Location | Northfield, Minnesota | Williamstown, Massachusetts |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | Town: Fringe |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | 4-1-4 | 4-1-4 |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 91.0% | 97.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 47.4% | 8.8% |
Application fees | $65 | |
SAT range | 1240 - 1430 | N/A |
ACT range | 28 - 33 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 16.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 39.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 6,494 | 12,452 |
Total number of admissions given out | 3,080 | 1,099 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 755 | 574 |
Yield rate | 24.5% | 52.2% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $66,570 | $78,060 |
Average net price | $27,729 | $14,487 |
Tuition | $52,670 | $59,350 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,720
Meal plan:
$6,280
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Room/dormitory:
$7,625
Meal plan:
$7,375
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $37,281 |
52.0%
Average amount $52,053 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
49.0%
Average amount $5,006 |
13.0%
Average amount $3,992 |
Students taking out private loans |
9.0%
Average amount $15,087 |
2.0%
Average amount $3,884 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,988
Men 42.2% Women 57.8% |
2,174
Men 48.1% Women 51.9% |
Graduate students | N/A |
50
Men 44.0% Women 56.0% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 10.2% | 9.8% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Town: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 2,703 | 2,045 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 12:1 | 6:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | New England Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 85.0% | 93.8% |
Dropout rate | 3.9% | 3.1% |
Transferred out | 11.0% | 1.6% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology and Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
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