Luther- Norse vs. St Olaf

Should I go to Luther College or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Luther- Norse or St Olaf is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Luther College vs. St Olaf College comparison
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Luther College St Olaf College
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Overview

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Location Decorah, IA Northfield, MN
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,610 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #336 #156
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luther.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $47,510 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $47,510 $54,650
Room & Board $10,670 $12,450
Avg Net Price $25,734 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $35,441 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,188 5,524
Admitted 1,648 3,116
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 56.4%
Enrolled % 24.3% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 28/33
SAT Range 1075/1330 1300/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Graduation Rate 69% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Luther- Norse St Olaf
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 75%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Luther- Norse St Olaf
% In-State 26% 47%
% Out-of-State 60% 43%

Campus

Luther- Norse St Olaf
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,610 students)

Luther- Norse vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 15% more expensive to attend than Luther- Norse for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $47,510.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15% higher at St Olaf than Luther College ($54,650.00 vs. $47,510.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Luther College than St Olaf ($25,734 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 16.7% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($10,670 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 14% larger than aid received Luther College ($40,399 vs. $35,441)

Luther- Norse vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Luther- Norse or St Olaf? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St Olaf or Luther- Norse .

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 103 points higher than at Luther- Norse (1179)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Luther- Norse (26)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65)
  • Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

Luther- Norse vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Luther- Norse or St Olaf? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between St Olaf and Luther- Norse.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Luther College (85% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $3,700 more per year than Luther- Norse graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $50,000)
  • St Olaf College and Luther- Norse graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • St Olaf College and Luther- Norse graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Luther- Norse students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/