Gustavus Adolphus College
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Why Gustavus Adolphus College Matters
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college in Saint Peter, MN and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 10% of all U.S. colleges.
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
- 1,878
- Setting
- Town
- Designations
- 39
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Psychology
Why students choose Gustavus Adolphus 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 61% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,900 a year after grants and scholarships — 34% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $65,607 ten years after enrolling — 61% above the typical college, against $26,774 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.7% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 92% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.77 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of just under 1,900 students, Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota, is an inviting choice for those seeking a close-knit academic community. The college stands out with its strong programs in Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Psychology, and Physical Sciences. If you’re someone who thrives in a collaborative environment and values a liberal arts education, this school might resonate with you.
Looking at life after graduation, the figures tell a promising story. Graduates earn a median salary of $65,607 ten years post-degree, which is a solid return on investment. While the college does have a 21% Pell Grant rate, reflecting its commitment to supporting students from lower-income backgrounds, it still maintains a reasonable net price of $22,900, making it an accessible option for many.
When it comes to financial considerations, the average debt load for graduates stands at $26,774. This balance between cost and outcome is important; many who thrive here are likely to be those who take advantage of the supportive environment and academic resources. If you’re ready to engage deeply with your studies and community, Gustavus Adolphus could be a great fit for your college experience.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Saint Peter, Minnesota, Gustavus Adolphus College admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 61%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,290. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 76%.
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 Gustavus Adolphus College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Gustavus Adolphus College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $56,076 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $22,900 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,015 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $26,774.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Gustavus Adolphus College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gustavus Adolphus College earn a median of $65,607, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Gustavus Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Gustavus Adolphus College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gustavus Adolphus College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.67%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower — only about 2.1% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 31.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $114,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Gustavus Adolphus College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 43 patents tied to its graduates.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Gustavus Adolphus College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Gustavus Adolphus College's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Gustavus Adolphus College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Saint Peter, Minnesota, Gustavus Adolphus College admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 61%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,290. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 76%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Gustavus Adolphus College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Gustavus Adolphus College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $56,076 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $22,900 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,015 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $26,774.
Is Gustavus Adolphus College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Gustavus Adolphus College earn a median of $65,607, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does Gustavus Adolphus College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Gustavus Adolphus College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.67%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower — only about 2.1% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 31.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $114,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.77 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely 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 Gustavus Adolphus College.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.77 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.