Quad

Cost & aid

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $26,230 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $1.9K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $26,094 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $67,680.

−21% after inflation since 2013–14Over time
Full price
$67,680 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
32% · avg $35K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Cost by family income

Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).

Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.

$0$20K$40K$60K$0$100K$200K$300K$400K+Full price $68KPublished data end at $110KUse the college's calculatorMerit: $33K
  • Published federal figures
  • With an average merit award: $33K · proxy: 32% got one. A possibility, not a promise
View as a table
Price per year by family income
Family incomePrice per year
$0–30K$12K a year
$30–48K$11K a year
$48–75K$14K a year
$75–110K$19K a year
$150KPublished data end at $110K
$200KPublished data end at $110K
$250KPublished data end at $110K
$300KPublished data end at $110K
$350KPublished data end at $110K
$400K and abovePublished data end at $110K
$150K a year

At $150K: Published data end at $110K

Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.

Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.

What can change this

  • Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
  • Home equity: some colleges that use the CSS Profile count it. Check this college's own aid page or calculator.
Average total cost per year, all first-years (est.)

$26,230

Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24

Full price$67,680
− Grants, averaged over every first-year−$41,450

100% got grants averaging $41,450; 0% got none.

= Average total cost$26,230
Tuition & fees$54.3KRoom & board$11.3KBooks & supplies$900Other expenses$1.2K

Who pays what

Received grants · 100%$26,094 averagenet price after grants
No grants · 0%$67,680full sticker price

Share of first-year students, 2023–24.

Compared to all colleges$26,230
National median: $24,284About typical

Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.

Next year (2023–24), reported by Gustavus Adolphus College

$61,290 before aid

Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · down 7% from 2023–24.

Show the full next-year estimate
  • Tuition, fees, food & housing$61,290
  • Books and supplies$900
  • Transportation$300
  • Other expensesnot reported
  • Total for a student living on campuspartial: not every part is a number
Part of a Promise program
Median debt at graduation

$26.8K

≈ $284/month for 10 years

Payback estimate

1.6 yrs

of median salary to cover 4 years of net price

Undergrads with a federal loan54%
National median: 45%Above typical

54% of undergrads borrow federally.

Median federal debt, by background

Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.

Pell Grant recipients$24,390
No Pell Grant$21,500
Family income under $30K$22,950
$30K–$75K$22,905
Over $75K$23,250

Three years into repayment

Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.

  • Paid in full21%
  • Paying it down41%
  • Payments paused21%
  • Not paying it down15%
  • Behind or in default2–3%
  • Forgiven or discharged0–1%

Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.

Who actually gets aid

61%of full price

Aid generosity

Very generous

Grants cover 61% of the $67,680 full price on average across all first-years (very generous), more than at 96% of colleges. The sticker price overstates what most students here actually pay.

$41,450 in grants per first-year ÷ $67,680 full price.

Compared to every college61%
61%
← Limitedmore generous than 96% of 1,514Very generous →

Who gets grants and scholarships

Full-time first-year students (499), 2023–24

Received grants or scholarships, avg $41,450 No grants

Where the aid comes from

From the college100% · avg $38K
Pell Grants21% · avg $5.6K
State or local grants31%
Student loans55% · avg $9.8K

Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.

Aid by family income

The whole first-year class (499)

  • Federal aid + grants337avg grant $44.7K
  • Grants, no federal aid162avg grant $34.7K
  • No grants0pay full price

Students with grants but no federal aid usually got the college's own need-based aid (without federal loans or Pell) or merit aid.

By family income: only students who received federal aid (337 of 499), because income is only reported for them.

IncomeStudentsAvg grant
$0–30K32$55.6K
$30–48K27$56.8K
$48–75K40$53.7K
$75–110K54$48.6K
$110K+184$37.9K

Applying for aid

For fall 2023 entrants.

To apply for aid: the FAFSA.

Priority date: February 15 · Deadline: April 15 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis · Reply by: May 1

Dates for fall 2023 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.

What the college's own scholarships consider

Academics✓✓
Alumni connection✓not marked
Art✓not marked
ROTC✓not marked
Religious affiliation✓✓
State or district residency✓✓

A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.

International students

International applicants file: the CSS Profile, International Student's Certification of Finances ().

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, 2023–24;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, 2021–22;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2023 entrants;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)