Liberal arts college
#5 Best colleges in MinnesotaGustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $22,900 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,774 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#70 of 950
- Best small colleges in America#68 of 906
- Best colleges for nursing in America#87 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#93 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#154 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#140 of 1,318
Show 18 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#132 of 1,238
- Best colleges in America#232 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#184 of 1,418
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#244 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#201 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#187 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#177 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#184 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#177 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#189 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#188 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#174 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#183 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#133 of 750
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#79 of 430
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#127 of 690
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#140 of 682
- Best colleges for economics in America#180 of 788
In Minnesota
- Best small colleges in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Best colleges for business in Minnesota#2 of 34
- Best colleges for accounting in Minnesota#2 of 30
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Minnesota#3 of 29
- Best colleges for nursing in Minnesota#3 of 25
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Minnesota#3 of 24
Show 21 more
- Best colleges for education in Minnesota#4 of 32
- Best colleges in Minnesota#5 of 40
- Best test-optional colleges in Minnesota#5 of 35
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Minnesota#6 of 40
- Best colleges for psychology in Minnesota#5 of 32
- Best colleges for computer science in Minnesota#4 of 24
- Best colleges for art and design in Minnesota#5 of 30
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Minnesota#5 of 30
- Best colleges for English in Minnesota#5 of 30
- Best colleges for history in Minnesota#5 of 28
- Best colleges for mathematics in Minnesota#5 of 27
- Best colleges for music in Minnesota#5 of 27
- Best colleges for chemistry in Minnesota#5 of 26
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Minnesota#4 of 19
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Minnesota#4 of 19
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Minnesota#4 of 19
- Most selective colleges in Minnesota#4 of 19
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Minnesota#5 of 23
- Best colleges for economics in Minnesota#5 of 21
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Minnesota#5 of 19
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Minnesota#5 of 17
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.88%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,290 · ACT 27
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$18,862
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $67,613 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,952 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 47% · Women 53% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 15% |
| Total students | 1,952 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $22,900 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $67,613 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,774 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 77% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 73% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 69% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 83% |
| First-year retention | 88% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $65,607 |
| Admission rate | 61% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $977 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 21% |
| Average SAT | 1290 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | — |
| SAT math | — |
| ACT composite | 24–30 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 49% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Economics | |
| Nursing | |
| Business (general) | |
| Physics | |
| Communication studies | |
| Political science | |
| Romance languages | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Secondary education | |
| Teacher education | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Computer science, Dance, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Education (general), Ethnic and gender studies, Fine arts, Geography, Geology and earth science, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Music, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Religious studies, Sociology, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,804 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 93%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $151,116IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)About 53 miles away · about 1 hour 25 minutes by car |
| Town population | 12,185Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MinneapolisAbout 56 miles away · about 1 hour 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 13°F in January · 72°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from St Peter, MN |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.52 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.52 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Gustavus Adolphus College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 13% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Gustavus Adolphus College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $22,900 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Gustavus Adolphus College?
- Gustavus Adolphus College admitted 61% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Gustavus Adolphus College’s graduates do?
- 77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $65,607; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,774.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 173647
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Evangelical Lutheran Church
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Colleges like this one
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Compare side by side: Gustavus Adolphus vs The College of Wooster · Gustavus Adolphus vs DePauw · Gustavus Adolphus vs Allegheny · Gustavus Adolphus vs Claflin
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