Luther College
Luther College is a private university in Decorah, Iowa, enrolling about 1,379 students. Admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of about 71.54% in federal reporting data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $59,850 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $52,120
- 2024 Average Net Price: $23,097 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 71.54% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,379 99.2% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 71.12%
- Average SAT Score: 1218
Luther College: what the data shows
Common questions about Luther College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Luther College?
Luther College is located in Decorah, IA (ZIP 52101-1045).
NCES locale classification: Town remote.
Is Luther College public or private?
Luther College is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Luther College cost?
Published tuition: $52,120.
Average net price after aid: $23,097.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $12,517 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $12,835 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $19,351 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $22,204 |
| $110,001+ | $29,376 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $208,480.
How hard is it to get into Luther College?
Admission rate: 71.54%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1218 and midpoint ACT 26.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Luther College?
Total enrollment: 1,379 students.
About 99% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Luther College?
150%-time completion rate: 71.12%.
First-year retention: 77.0%.
What do graduates of Luther College earn?
Median earnings: $49,541 six years after entry; $59,850 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $27,000.
20.44% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Luther College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (401 completions)
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research (46 completions)
- CIP 520201 (34 completions)
- General Biological Sciences (28 completions)
- CIP 500901 (17 completions)
- CIP 500912 (16 completions)
- CIP 030103 (15 completions)
- Elementary Education & Teaching (14 completions)
- CIP 310505 (14 completions)
- CIP 422799 (12 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Luther College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 71.54%; completion rate 71.12%; median earnings $59,850 at 10 years; net price $23,097. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$52,120
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Luther College was $52,120.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$23,097
2024 Value
In 2024 Luther College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $23,097.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$92,388 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$23,097 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$208,480 4-Year Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Luther College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
20.44% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
64.80% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Luther College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Luther College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $37,530 | $37,530 | $24,238 |
| 2014 | $38,370 | $38,370 | $24,321 |
| 2015 | $39,190 | $39,190 | $24,974 |
| 2016 | $40,040 | $40,040 | $24,612 |
| 2017 | $41,020 | $41,020 | $25,273 |
| 2018 | $42,290 | $42,290 | $23,792 |
| 2019 | $44,070 | $44,070 | $23,620 |
| 2020 | $45,610 | $45,610 | $25,538 |
| 2021 | $46,760 | $46,760 | $25,291 |
| 2022 | $48,160 | $48,160 | $26,138 |
| 2023 | $50,320 | $50,320 | $25,635 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
71.54% Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1218
ACT Average: 26
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.3 - 3.5
Estimated Median GPA: 3.40
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
99.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Luther College in 2024 is 1,379 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
77.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
60.83% 100% Completion Time
71.12% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 60.83% of students graduating from Luther College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Luther College.
Return on Investment
$27,000 Median Student Debt
$59,850 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
45.11% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
547.81% Return on Investment
4.5 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Luther College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research: 46 completions
CIP 52.0201: 34 completions
General Biological Sciences: 28 completions
CIP 50.0901: 17 completions
CIP 50.0912: 16 completions
CIP 03.0103: 15 completions
Elementary Education & Teaching: 14 completions
CIP 31.0505: 14 completions
CIP 42.2799: 12 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 401 completions
Most popular programs at Luther College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Luther College graduates.
About
Luther College is a private non-profit institution located in Decorah, IA, offering 44 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 1,379 students. The admission rate is 71.54%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1218. The institution maintains a 71.12% graduation rate. Approximately 20.44% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Location
Decorah, IA 52101-1045
Region: Plains
Insights and Analysis
Luther College provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
FAQ
How much does Luther College cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $52,120 and average net price is $23,097 in the latest College Scorecard data.
How hard is it to get into Luther College?
The admission rate is 71.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data.
What test scores do students need for Luther College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Luther College reports midpoint SAT about 1218 and midpoint ACT about 26.
What do graduates of Luther College earn?
Median earnings are $49,541 six years after entry and $59,850 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Luther College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 71.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Luther College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
How big is Luther College?
Total enrollment is about 1,379 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Luther College public or private?
Luther College is a private nonprofit institution located in Decorah, IA.
Is Luther College an HBCU?
No. Luther College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Luther College a tribal college?
No. Luther College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Luther College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Luther College does not meet that proxy (reported share 6.4%).
Is Luther College religiously affiliated?
Yes. IPEDS reports a religious affiliation for Luther College: Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.