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St Olaf College
Northfield, MN 3,093 Undergrads 85.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$71,843
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,874
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,323
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$23,874
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$56,323
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate85.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
48.3%
SAT Avg
1,380
SAT Reading
25th: 66067075th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 64066575th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 283175th: 32
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
+$506k
+$39k
+$22k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$420k
-$47k
-$64k
Full Cost$72k/yr
+$247k
-$219k
-$237k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-75%
Full Cost$72k/yr
Never
-92%
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-79%
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-86%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,677
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,818
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,988
Earnings (5yr)
$65,522
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$959
Classical and Ancient Studies
BachCIP: 3022
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
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
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (4yr)
$122,912
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$446k
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
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,023
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
$21,502
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$26,671
Earnings (4yr)
$84,559
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,715
Earnings (4yr)
$49,382
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$23,480
Earnings (4yr)
$54,100
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,287
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,812
Earnings (4yr)
$42,538
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,691
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
BachCIP: 3013
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,439
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,635
Earnings (4yr)
$48,137
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (2yr)
$35,416
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,762
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,869
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,666
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,743
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,335
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Religious Music and Worship
BachCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,456
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,282
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$24,830
Earnings (4yr)
$53,232
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,611
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
$24,644
Earnings (4yr)
$60,225
Natl Median: $46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,314
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,909
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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.