# Luther College

Private nonprofit college in Decorah, IA. IPEDS ID 153834.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/luther-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/luther-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 72% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $23,097 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 71%; beats 79% of IA colleges and 80% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $59,850; beats 73% of IA colleges and 69% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $22,200

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,517 |
| 30-48k | $12,835 |
| 48-75k | $19,351 |
| 75-110k | $22,204 |
| 110k+ | $29,376 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.18 years on average (63% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $59,850 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,517 | $52,321 | 2.3 years |
| 30-48k | $12,835 | $53,650 | 2.3 years |
| 48-75k | $19,351 | $80,887 | 3.5 years |
| 75-110k | $22,204 | $92,813 | 4.0 years |
| 110k+ | $29,376 | $122,792 | 5.3 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $65,461
- Tuition and fees: $52,120
- Housing and meals: $11,180; books: $1,040

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 550–668; SAT math: 528–738; ACT: 22–29 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 2,447 applicants, 1,793 admitted, 352 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 72%, ACT 22–29 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 73%, ACT 22–29 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (43 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $75,533 | $77,569 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $60,068 | $75,341 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $49,491 | $68,510 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $29,359 | $63,998 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $30,302 | $56,469 | $26,500 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $42,926 | $54,821 | $27,000 |
| Political Science | $21,358 | $53,510 | $27,000 |
| Communications | $42,012 | $52,905 | $27,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $19,239 | $52,296 | not reported |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | not reported | $51,913 | $27,000 |
| Music | $45,367 | $50,947 | $27,000 |
| Health Sciences | not reported | $50,580 | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,691 | $50,164 | $27,000 |
| German | not reported | $49,769 | not reported |
| Social Work | $30,372 | $47,660 | $27,000 |
| English | $38,490 | $46,116 | $27,000 |
| History | not reported | $45,737 | not reported |
| Information Science / Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Science | $63,760 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | $27,000 |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Legal Studies / Paralegal | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Neuroscience | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Statistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cultural Studies / Critical Theory and Analysis | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Research) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Information Systems | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage not reported (metro), $85,530 (IA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Biology → Biological technician: median wage not reported (metro), $48,050 (IA), $57,510 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).