More selective than 46% of Minnesota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $29,250. College Scorecard.
Higher than 78% of Minnesota colleges we cover and 81% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 14% of Minnesota colleges we cover and 33% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
MLC acceptance rate & admissions
Of 218 applicants, Martin Luther College admitted 180 and 150 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
MLC tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What MLC costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Martin Luther College took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Minnesota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,233 | $49,650 | 5.3 years |
| $30–48k | $11,749 | $51,931 | 5.6 years |
| $48–75k | $12,811 | $56,625 | 6.1 years |
| $75–110k | $18,241 | $80,625 | 8.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,952 | $101,448 | 10.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (46% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($47,491) minus $38,184 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,307 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
MLC majors, earnings & careers
Martin Luther College offers 7 bachelor's majors across 2 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Education · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 3
Highest-earning majors at MLC
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $56,435 | $21,500 |
| Theology / Ministry | $39,949 | $18,949 |
Quick list of all 7 majors
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$56,435
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Education, Other—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Special Education—
- Theology / Ministry$39,949
- Theology and Religious Vocations, Other—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Special Education → Special education teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in New Ulm
2 bedrooms $1,071.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 31 inches of rain a year, 38 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Brown County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Brown County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare MLC with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Minnesota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther College | 87% | $18,463 | 72% | $47,491 | This school |
| Bethel University | 88% | $28,556 | 71% | $63,764 | |
| Saint Johns University | 91% | $25,672 | 75% | $76,786 | |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 93% | $11,704 | 66% | $58,170 | |
| College of Saint Benedict | 92% | $26,640 | 77% | $63,260 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Martin Luther College would cost you $10,093 less per year than Bethel University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Martin Luther College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$26,106).
- Bethel University gives aided families $19,226 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Minnesota resident | MLC | Bethel University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $18,120 | $44,226 | −$26,106 |
| Books & supplies | $600 | $1,340 | −$740 |
| Housing & meals | $7,280 | $12,090 | −$4,810 |
| Personal & travel | $3,600 | $3,030 | +$570 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$350 | −$2,117 | +$1,767 |
| Sticker price | $29,250 | $58,569 | −$29,319 |
| Average grants | −$10,787 | −$30,013 | +$19,226 |
| You pay | $18,463 | $28,556 | −$10,093 |
“+” means MLC costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about MLC
What is the MLC acceptance rate?
Martin Luther College accepts 87% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 180 of 218 applicants were admitted.
How much does Martin Luther College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $29,250 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $18,463 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,233 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,952.
How much do MLC graduates earn?
Former Martin Luther College students earn a median $47,491 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the MLC graduation rate?
72% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year.
How long does a MLC degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Martin Luther College costs about $56,625 after grants ($12,811 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,491 ten years after starting, $9,307 more than high school graduates in Minnesota ($38,184), so the cost is repaid in 6.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is MLC the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Martin Luther College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/martin-luther-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).