Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN 1,878 Undergrads 76.9% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$67,613

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$22,900

After Aid

Median Earnings

$61,015

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,900

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$61,015

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate76.9%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.6

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients21.3%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.1%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS82.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

61.0%

SAT Avg

1,290

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: 242975th: 30

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$544k

+$77k

+$59k

Median Cost$23k/yr

+$461k

-$5k

-$23k

Full Cost$68k/yr

+$301k

-$166k

-$184k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$23k/yr

Never

-28%

Full Cost$68k/yr

Never

-76%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-50%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-78%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$26,500

Earnings (4yr)

$95,200

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$240k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$24,035

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$26,901

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$69,423

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

+$43k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$110,108

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$337k

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$50,079

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$121k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$88,379

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$174k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$26,353

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$308k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$23,250

Earnings (4yr)

$49,758

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$115k

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$62,016

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

-$15k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$50,049

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$121k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$57,870

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$48k

Statistics

BachCIP: 2705

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,425

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$47,629

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$133k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$48,822

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$123k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.