Quad

St Olaf College

Northfield, MNQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forGenerous aidHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavyAverage cost down 34% since 2013–14
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 2 applicants admitted

St Olaf admits about 1 in 2 applicants (48%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 85% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

48%

48%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

6,623

Admitted

3,200

Yield

27%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1300–1470

10001600
ACT middle 50%

28–32

1836
Applications +36% since fall 2014 · admit rate 51% → 48%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 3,093 undergrads, where 21% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

3.1K

undergrads · larger than 69% of colleges

Diversity index

0.53

Pell Grant

21%

below the median

First generation

13%

below the median

Distant townNCAA D-III · Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.40 → 0.53 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Biology/Biological Sciences, General (10% of graduates). 11 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 68% of colleges. 76% of faculty are full-time. Spends $19,698 a year on instruction per student.

11 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 68% of colleges

Most popular major

Biology/Biological Sciences, General

10% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$122.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

76%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$19.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $26,936 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.7K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $26,756 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $71,870.

63%

$26.9K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$71,870 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
42% · avg $41K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 63% of full price

Federal loans

42%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost falling · −34% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $65,543 ten years after enrolling, more than at 78% of colleges; 85% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

85%

85%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$65.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$26K

≈ $276/month for 10 years

Retention

92%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 89% → 84% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 34%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 36% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 51% to 48%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −34% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +36%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 51% → 48%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.40 → 0.53

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Gettysburg College

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Clark University

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    St Olaf College (2026)

    St Olaf College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 174844 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything