Liberal arts college
#3 Best colleges for social work in IowaLuther College
Decorah, IA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $23,097 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (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
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges for social work in America#106 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#168 of 950
- Best small colleges in America#170 of 906
- Best colleges for nursing in America#207 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#220 of 1,132
Show 7 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#370 of 1,829
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#146 of 690
- Best colleges for business in America#332 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#285 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#280 of 1,238
- Best colleges for psychology in America#349 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#457 of 1,829
In Iowa
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Iowa#2 of 16
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Iowa#3 of 16
- Best colleges for social work in Iowa#3 of 14
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Iowa#7 of 30
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Iowa#6 of 25
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Iowa#4 of 16
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Iowa#6 of 24
- Best colleges for business in Iowa#7 of 27
- Best colleges for accounting in Iowa#6 of 23
- Best small colleges in Iowa#6 of 23
- Best colleges for nursing in Iowa#5 of 19
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Iowa#7 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Iowa#7 of 26
- Best colleges for English in Iowa#7 of 26
- Best colleges for history in Iowa#7 of 25
- Best colleges for mathematics in Iowa#7 of 25
- Best colleges for music in Iowa#7 of 25
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Iowa#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,218 · ACT 25.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$17,234
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: $65,461 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) | 1,463 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 48% · Women 52% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 13% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 68% |
| Total students | 1,463 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $23,097 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $65,461 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 71% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 69% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 60% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 83% |
| First-year retention | 77% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,850 |
| Admission rate | 72% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $700 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1218 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–668 |
| SAT math | 528–738 |
| ACT composite | 22–29 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Music | |
| Health sciences | |
| Teacher education | |
| German | |
| Social work | |
| English | |
| History |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Anthropology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer science, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, Dance, Design, Economics, Experimental psychology, Fine arts, Global studies, Information science, Interdisciplinary studies, Management information systems, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-law and legal studies, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Social sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,530 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · American Rivers Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 18%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 88%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $132,855IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Rochester International Airport (RST)About 54 miles away · about 1 hour 40 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)About 129 miles away |
| Town population | 7,535Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MadisonAbout 121 miles away · about 3 hours 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 19°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Decorah, IA |
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 | 0.72 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 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 Luther College’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 25% 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 Luther College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $23,097 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 Luther College?
- Luther College admitted 72% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Luther College’s graduates do?
- 71% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $59,850; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 153834
- 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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