Augustana College
- Graduation Rate
- 76% B+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $62,971 A-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $22,736 D+
- 33% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 63% B
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 18.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.7 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $18.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,612,667.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 54% more than the national college median.
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A 76% graduation rate — 33% above the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $18.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Augustana College Matters
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college in Rock Island, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 2,490
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- 39
- Primary Strengths
- Biology & Biomedical, Business & Marketing, Psychology, Education
Why students choose Augustana College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 63% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1030–1270. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,736 a year after grants and scholarships — 33% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $62,971 ten years after enrolling — 54% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.73 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Augustana College has an impressive graduation rate of 76%, indicating that most students successfully complete their degrees. This higher-than-average rate can reflect strong support systems and academic resources that help students thrive throughout their college experience. With an acceptance rate of 63%, the college maintains a selective yet accessible environment for prospective students.
According to Opportunity Insights data, Augustana College has not publicly reported specific figures on mobility or economic connectedness. However, the college's focus on programs such as Business, Biology, Education, and Psychology suggests a commitment to fields that often lead to stable employment and growth. While detailed mobility statistics are lacking, the graduation rate provides some insight into student success.
From a financial perspective, the average net price for attending Augustana College is $22,736, with a median debt of $27,000 for graduates. Alumni earn an average of $62,971 within ten years of graduation. Students who thrive here are often those pursuing degrees in fields like Business and Health Professions, looking for a supportive community that prioritizes academic achievement and career readiness.
Rankings
- #22 Best Biology Colleges in Illinois
- #23 Best Communications Colleges in Illinois
- #31 Best Computer Science Colleges in Illinois
- #31 Best Data Science Colleges in Illinois
- #37 Best Education Colleges in Illinois
- #39 Best Business Colleges in Illinois
- #39 Best Psychology Colleges in Illinois
- #41 Best Nursing Colleges in Illinois
Can I Get In?
How selective Augustana College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Augustana College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Rock Island, Illinois, Augustana College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 63% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,165. The graduation rate is roughly 76%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Retention Rate
- 82%
- SAT Average
- 1165
- SAT Range
- 1030–1270
- ACT Range
- 21–29
- Full-Time Faculty
- 78%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,300
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.65
- First-Gen Students
- 22%
- Applicants
- 6,965
- Admitted
- 4,264
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Augustana College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Augustana College is $51,598, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,736. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,787 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $51,598
- Out-of-State
- $51,598
- Avg Net Price
- $22,736
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 24%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 55%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $15,787
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $16,525
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $16,865
- Family Income $110K+
- $28,086
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Augustana College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Augustana College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Augustana College earn a median of $62,971, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $49,849
- 8 Years
- $56,882
- 10 Years
- $62,971
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.43x
- Earning > $25K
- 78%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (529)
- 73%
- 100% (529)
- 73%
- 100% (529)
- 73%
- 100% (529)
- 73%
How Augustana Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Augustana College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Augustana College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,736/year ($90,944 total). Graduates earn $62,971 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,703,611 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,612,667 (18.7× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 76% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $90,944
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,703,611
- Net Return
- $1,612,667
- ROI Multiple
- 18.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $22,736
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 76%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $1,960,797
- Investment Income
- $-23,655,640
Top Programs
The fields Augustana College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Biology & Biomedical 21% $31,312 early-career
- Business & Marketing 18% $64,462 early-career
- Psychology 8% $32,732 early-career
- Education 8% $48,945 early-career
- Social Sciences 6% $43,893 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6% $65,051 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 6% $35,271 early-career
- Health Professions 5%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Augustana College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Augustana College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Rock Island, Illinois, Augustana College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 63% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,165. The graduation rate is roughly 76%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Augustana College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Augustana College is $51,598, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,736. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,787 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Augustana College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Augustana College earn a median of $62,971, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is Augustana College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Augustana College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Augustana College.
- Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, MN · Close peer76% grad $65,607 earn 61% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- St. John Fisher UniversityRochester, NY · Close peer74% grad $66,944 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Drake UniversityDes Moines, IA · Close peer76% grad $71,901 earn 64% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- North Central CollegeNaperville, IL · Close peer68% grad $60,123 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Calvin UniversityGrand Rapids, MI · Close peer76% grad $58,375 earn 71% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northwood UniversityMidland, MI · Close peer62% grad $63,075 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Augustana College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Augustana College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note