Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Saint Joseph, Minnesota
91.4% Acceptance Rate
College of Saint Benedict — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
91.4%Acceptance Rate
3.72Avg GPA
1185Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$66,878Annual Cost
$63,260Grad Salary
18.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
91.4%
Avg GPA
3.72
Avg SAT
1185
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
950–1220
ACT Middle 50%
21–27
Need-Based Aid
18.7% receive Pell
College of Saint Benedict (MN) is a women's liberal arts college that shares a strong collaborative academic community with Saint John's University. Admissions are holistic, valuing academic rigor, leadership, and a commitment to Benedictine values. They seek students who are intellectually active and eager to engage in collaborative discourse.
College of Saint Benedict Acceptance Rate
College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict) maintains an inclusive admission policy. With an acceptance rate of 91.4%, the institution prioritizes accessibility and opportunity for all qualified students.
Admissions Guidelines
- Inclusive Enrollment: Emphasis is placed on meeting basic eligibility and high school completion.
- Launchpad Policy: Ideal for students looking to build a GPA for future transfer or career certification.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 91.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.72 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.52 – 3.71
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.27
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
College of Saint Benedict Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for College of Saint Benedict is November 15 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 118 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 15
Regular Decision
February 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (November 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Saint Benedict GPA Requirement
The average GPA of the admitted students at Saint Benedict is 3.72. Saint Benedict is highly selective.
Mostly A's with a few B's will keep you competitive. Taking AP/IB courses related to your field will improve your chances.
Note: This is an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. Students with AP or IB courses will typically have a weighted GPA of 3.92-4.12 for this same academic profile.If your GPA is between 3.42 and 3.72, a strong SAT or ACT score is recommended.
Saint Benedict GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective; GPA is within the typical admitted range.
Recommended Strategy: Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT) in the top 5th percentile.
Admissions at Saint Benedict utilize a Holistic Review process. With an average admitted GPA of 3.72, the following table illustrates how your specific academic profile aligns with institutional expectations.
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.72 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.52 – 3.71
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.32 – 3.51
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.31
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Expert Insight: 2026 Evaluation Metrics
- CSB is a single-sex undergraduate college for women; Saint John's University (six miles away) is single-sex for men; the two share one curriculum, faculty, and degree requirements but maintain separate single-sex missions.
- In 2021, CSB and SJU adopted a "Strong Integration" governance model, unifying under one shared president for the first time (Brian J. Bruess, since July 2022) after decades of a "coordinate" relationship with separate presidents.
- Army ROTC is offered on-campus only at Saint John's University, not at the College of Saint Benedict.
- CSB hosts graduate nursing programs (MSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice), which are coeducational at the graduate level despite CSB's single-sex undergraduate mission.
- The Rigor Metric: At Saint Benedict, a slightly lower GPA (e.g., 3.8) in a transcript featuring multiple AP or IB courses is often prioritized over a 4.0 in a standard curriculum.
- The Upward Trend: If your early high school grades were lower, an upward trajectory in 11th and 12th grade demonstrates Academic Resilience.
Data Source: Verified via IPEDS and latest Common Data Set (CDS). Reviewed by our academic board led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Saint Benedict
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on College of Saint Benedict's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict) Test Requirements
In this competitive environment, standardized scores are no longer elective; they serve as a critical standardized benchmark to validate high school GPA and course rigor. Applicants should aim for scores within or above the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class to remain viable in the Holistic Review process. At institutions that remain test-optional, submitting a high-percentile score is still the primary strategy for securing merit-based scholarships and distinguishing one's profile in a high-volume applicant pool.
Can I Get Into Saint Benedict Without SAT or ACT?
College of Saint Benedict considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process but does not require them. Although it is not strictly a requirement, the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test 2 to 3 times to improve their scores.
College of Saint Benedict Average SAT Score: 1185
The average SAT score of the admitted students at College of Saint Benedict is 1185 on the 1600 SAT scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1185 — Less Competitive
This score makes it less competitive for SAT test scores. You need to put average efforts to score 1185 on the SAT.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1220 SAT or 27 ACT) to stand out. If your scores are below average, consider retaking the test. College of Saint Benedict allows Score Choice for the SAT and Superscoring for the ACT, giving you flexibility to submit your best scores.
If your score is below 950, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Saint Benedict. Retaking the test multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants take the SAT two or three times to achieve their best score. There is no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 545 | 480 | 610 |
| SAT Reading | 540 | 470 | 610 |
| SAT Composite | 1185 | 950 | 1220 |
It means that if you have scored less than 950 then you are below most of the admitted students at Saint Benedict and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1220 or more, your chances of admission are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer scores than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of the upper 25% of the students.
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1200
Can I get into College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict) with a 1200 SAT?
With a 1200 SAT Score, your chances of admission at College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict) are good but the admission staff at Saint Benedict tests your all-around personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will increase your chances of admission. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, your chances of admission are high.
College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict) ACT Requirements
The average ACT Score at Saint Benedict is 24.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 24 — Slightly Competitive
This score makes College of Saint Benedict slightly Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do well to score 24 on the ACT.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 23 | 20 | 26 |
| ACT English | 24 | 20 | 27 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 21 | 27 |
Can I get into College of Saint Benedict with a 27 ACT?
A 27 ACT places you at the 75th percentile of admitted students at College of Saint Benedict — meaning you score higher than 75% of students who were accepted. This is a strong position, but the ACT is just one dimension of your application. Admissions officers at College of Saint Benedict use the ACT as a benchmark to validate your academic readiness, not as a standalone admission ticket.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT measures four distinct subject areas — English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science — each scored on a 1–36 scale. If one of your section scores is significantly lower than the others, admissions staff will notice the imbalance. For example, a weak ACT Science score at a STEM-focused institution carries more weight than the same weakness at a liberal arts college. It is worth reviewing your section-level scores and addressing any outliers before applying.
One important advantage the ACT has over the SAT is that College of Saint Benedict — like most US universities — accepts Superscoring for the ACT, meaning they take your highest section scores across multiple test attempts and combine them into a new composite. If you have taken the ACT more than once, confirm whether College of Saint Benedict uses Superscoring, as this could meaningfully improve your effective composite beyond what any single sitting shows.
Beyond your score, what ultimately determines admission at this level is the strength of your overall profile. Your unweighted GPA, course rigor (AP, IB, or dual enrollment), extracurricular depth, letters of recommendation, and personal essays all carry significant weight. A 27 ACT gets your application through the first filter — but your essays and activities are what move it forward from there.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Saint Benedict
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Saint Benedict provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about utilizing resources and planning your long-term academic or career trajectory.
Know that CSB is a single-sex institution for women, coordinated with the men's Saint John's University
CSB is a residential college exclusively for women, sharing one curriculum, faculty, and degree requirements with Saint John's University (for men) six miles away in Collegeville - students take classes on both campuses, but each institution maintains its own single-sex undergraduate identity and mission around gender-specific leadership development. If you're a prospective student, understand this genuinely dual-campus, single-sex structure (not simply "a coed school with two buildings") before applying, since your primary residential and student-government community will be exclusively at CSB even as your classes span both campuses.
Factor in the 2021 "Strong Integration" governance shift when evaluating long-term institutional stability
After decades of operating as loosely "coordinate" institutions with separate presidents, CSB and SJU adopted a new "Strong Integration" governance model in 2021, unifying under a single president (Brian J. Bruess, since July 2022) for the first time in their history. Ask admissions directly what specific student-facing changes (if any) have resulted from this governance shift, since a structural change this significant, even a few years in, can still affect program continuity, campus-specific traditions, or resource allocation between the two campuses.
If you want Army ROTC, know it's based at Saint John's, not on your home CSB campus
Army ROTC is offered on-campus specifically at Saint John's University, not at the College of Saint Benedict - meaning CSB students interested in ROTC will need to factor in the cross-campus commute (via the LINK shuttle bus) into their daily schedule as a standing commitment, not an occasional cross-registration. If ROTC is a serious interest, ask admissions about the realistic logistics of a CSB student's ROTC schedule before assuming it's as convenient as a program housed on your own campus.
Consider CSB's graduate nursing programs (MSN, DNP) as a long-term extension of your undergraduate path
CSB is home to nationally recognized graduate nursing programs - including a Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice - that build on the college's liberal arts foundation and are open to both women and men at the graduate level, unlike CSB's single-sex undergraduate program. If a nursing career is a long-term goal, ask specifically how CSB's undergraduate program (if you're pursuing a related major) is positioned to feed into these graduate nursing tracks, since this is a genuine internal pipeline most single-sex undergraduate colleges don't offer.
Expert Insight:
A specific and easy-to-miss detail is assuming CSB functions identically to a standard coeducational college simply because classes are shared with Saint John's University - key student-facing structures (residential life, student government via the separate Saint Ben's Senate, and certain programs like Army ROTC) remain organized around each single-sex institution individually, so a student should verify which specific resources are shared versus campus-exclusive rather than assuming full interchangeability.
Saint Benedict Profile
Full Name
College of Saint Benedict (Saint Benedict)
City
Saint Joseph
State
Minnesota
ZIP Code
56374
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Saint Benedict Degree Worth It?
Getting into Saint Benedict can be a great opportunity for many students. It is a prestigious institution known for its strong programs. However, whether it is worth it depends on your personal and academic goals, as well as your financial situation. Saint Benedict offers a rigorous academic environment and access to cutting-edge research, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. It's important to consider factors such as cost, location, and specific academic programs when making this decision.
Please note that the average household income of the admitted students at Saint Benedict is $70,900 and the graduate unemployment rate is 2.58%.
How much does a degree from Saint Benedict Cost?
The average annual cost of the degree at College of Saint Benedict is $66,878. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at College of Saint Benedict is much less than this.
18.7% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 63.1 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to Saint Benedict and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At College of Saint Benedict, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist Saint Benedict as your choice in the form.
How much does a Saint Benedict Graduate earn?
The average annual salary of the graduate after 4–6 years of graduation is $63,260. An average Saint Benedict graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4–6 years after graduation).
The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is $40,595.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than College of Saint Benedict. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, FL | 1136 | 25 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| University of West Florida | Pensacola, FL | 1137 | 24 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1149 | 23 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as College of Saint Benedict. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than College of Saint Benedict. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
Degree Programs at Saint Benedict
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Saint Benedict Admissions
Graduates of this university typically earn a moderate salary, $63,260 annually, with some fluctuation based on the field.
The tuition fee at this university is quite high, approximately $66,878 or more per year, so it is important to consider additional funding options.
18.7% of students receive a Pell Grant here, which is below the national average of around 35%. This institution serves a higher proportion of higher-income students. Merit-based scholarships may still be available regardless of financial need — check the official financial aid page of the institute for details.
The acceptance rate of College of Saint Benedict is 91.4% which is relatively high, above 20%, making it somewhat easier to gain admission compared to other top-tier universities.
The average GPA of admitted students is 3.72. This reflects the competitive academic profile expected from applicants.
While there is no single cutoff that guarantees a rejection, admission staff uses your GPA to determine if you are a best fit. If you have at least a 3.42, you are in the standard pool. If you are below a 3.42, we need to focus on your personal essay and letters of recommendation to explain the context behind your grades.
If your GPA is 3.32 or less, it may make admission difficult. However, your chances may improve if you have strong test scores, extracurricular activities, and essays. But this does not mean that you must not apply, or you do not have any chances. With additional AP courses, you can increase your chances even with this GPA.
While the average GPA of admitted students is 3.72, applicants with lower GPAs can still be considered if they have strong test scores, extracurriculars, and compelling personal essays that demonstrate resilience and potential.
Admission to College of Saint Benedict is based on SAT, and a strong SAT score is essential. Aim for scores above 1185 for the best chances, although the overall application strength also matters. Your SAT must be in the range of 950–1220.
The application deadline for College of Saint Benedict is November 15 for Early Action applicants.
The scholarship priority deadline is November 15, 2026. Submit your FAFSA before this date for maximum aid consideration.
Yes, many students successfully transfer each year. Be prepared with your academic transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement to make your application competitive.
To improve your chances, focus on excelling academically, building a strong extracurricular profile, and submitting standout essays. High SAT/ACT scores are also crucial for competitive admissions.
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