Wartburg College Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Wartburg College is a private research university in Waverly, Iowa, enrolling about 1,452 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 75.84% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $56,201 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $26,250
- 2024 Average Net Price: $32,908 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 75.84% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,452 96.7% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 64.30%
- Carnegie Classification: Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
- First-Generation Students: 17.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 3.8% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 1.2% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 100.0%
- Average SAT Score: 1136
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,486
- Applicants (IPEDS): 2,543
- Room & Board: $11,750 annual estimate
Wartburg College: what the data shows
Common questions about Wartburg College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Wartburg College?
Wartburg College is located in Waverly, IA (ZIP 50677-0903).
NCES locale classification: Town distant.
Is Wartburg College public or private?
Wartburg College is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Wartburg College cost?
Published tuition: $26,250.
Average net price after aid: $32,908.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $21,688 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,751 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $27,056 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $28,873 |
| $110,001+ | $38,864 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $105,000.
How hard is it to get into Wartburg College?
Admission rate: 75.84%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1136 and midpoint ACT 23.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Wartburg College?
Total enrollment: 1,452 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,486 students.
Graduate enrollment: 21 students.
About 97% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Wartburg College?
150%-time completion rate: 64.30%.
First-year retention: 75.7%.
What do graduates of Wartburg College earn?
Median earnings: $48,795 six years after entry; $56,201 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $27,000.
22.12% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Wartburg College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business/Commerce, General (63 completions)
- Elementary Education and Teaching (22 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (22 completions)
- Psychology, General (20 completions)
- Sociology, General (20 completions)
- Mass Communication/Media Studies (16 completions)
- Music Teacher Education (14 completions)
- Engineering Science (13 completions)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (11 completions)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology (11 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Wartburg College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 75.84%; completion rate 64.30%; median earnings $56,201 at 10 years; net price $32,908. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$26,250
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Wartburg College was $26,250.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$32,908
2024 Value
In 2024 Wartburg College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $32,908.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$131,632 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$32,908 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$105,000 4-Year Tuition
$11,750 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,234 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$39,234 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$156,936 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Wartburg College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
22.12% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
67.26% 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 Wartburg 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 Wartburg 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 | $34,250 | $34,250 | $22,124 |
| 2014 | $36,120 | $36,120 | $21,827 |
| 2015 | $37,190 | $37,190 | $22,896 |
| 2016 | $38,380 | $38,380 | $22,599 |
| 2017 | $39,730 | $39,730 | $22,950 |
| 2018 | $41,280 | $41,280 | $22,089 |
| 2019 | $43,930 | $43,930 | $21,787 |
| 2020 | $45,680 | $45,680 | $22,765 |
| 2021 | $47,500 | $47,500 | $22,177 |
| 2022 | $49,190 | $49,190 | $22,869 |
| 2023 | $51,040 | $51,040 | $22,604 |
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.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
75.84% Acceptance Rate
2,543 Total Applicants
2,528 Students Admitted
424 First-Time Students Enrolled
16.77% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1136
ACT Average: 23
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.0 - 3.4
Estimated Median GPA: 3.20
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Wartburg College reported total enrollment of about 1,452 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 55% male and 45% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (80.6%), Non-Resident Alien (5.2%), and Black or African American (4.9%). About 22.12% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 17.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
96.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Wartburg College in 2024 is 1,452 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,486 students. Graduate enrollment is about 21 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
75.7%
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.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 80.6%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
45.38% 100% Completion Time
64.30% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 45.38% of students graduating from Wartburg College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business/Commerce, General: 68% male / 32% female
- Elementary Education and Teaching: 9% male / 91% female
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 36% male / 64% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Wartburg College.
Return on Investment
$27,000 Median Student Debt
$56,201 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
48.04% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
326.96% Return on Investment
4.8 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Wartburg College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 38 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business/Commerce, General: 63 completions
2. Elementary Education and Teaching: 22 completions
3. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 22 completions
4. Psychology, General: 20 completions
5. Sociology, General: 20 completions
6. Mass Communication/Media Studies: 16 completions
7. Music Teacher Education: 14 completions
8. Engineering Science: 13 completions
9. Computer and Information Sciences, General: 11 completions
Most popular programs at Wartburg College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Wartburg College graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Wartburg College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $7,194
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,199
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Wartburg College is a private non-profit institution located in Waverly, IA, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business/Commerce, General, Elementary Education and Teaching, Biology/Biological Sciences, General. Enrollment is approximately 1,452 students. Student body composition includes White (80.6%), Non-Resident Alien (5.2%), Black or African American (4.9%). The admission rate is 75.84%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1136. The 150%-time completion rate is 64.30%. Approximately 22.12% of students receive Pell Grants. About 17.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Location
Waverly, IA 50677-0903
Region: Plains
Insights and Analysis
Wartburg 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Wartburg College located?
Wartburg College is located in Waverly, IA.
What is Wartburg College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Wartburg College is 75.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,543 applicants and 2,528 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Wartburg College cost?
Reported tuition is $26,250 and average net price is $32,908 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,750 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Wartburg College?
Wartburg College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,486 students, White (80.6%), Non-Resident Alien (5.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Wartburg College?
About 17.4% of students at Wartburg College are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Wartburg College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Wartburg College reports midpoint SAT about 1136 and midpoint ACT about 23.
What do graduates of Wartburg College earn?
Median earnings are $48,795 six years after entry and $56,201 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Wartburg College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 64.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Wartburg College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is Wartburg College public or private?
Wartburg College is a private nonprofit institution located in Waverly, IA.
Is Wartburg College an HBCU?
No. Wartburg College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Wartburg College a tribal college?
No. Wartburg College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
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
- Iowa college costs
- Iowa colleges by ROI
- Plains regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Iowa
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.