St Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private · Town (distant) · SOC
Private institution in Northfield, MN · 3,049 undergraduates · 52% acceptance rate · $65,543 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 8%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 8%Median ACT
- Top 11%Average SAT
- Top 13%Full-time retention
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $22,7521,328th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $56,9701,916th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $56,9701,914th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $69,2001,826th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $26,0001,445th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $65,543369th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $48,373630th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 83.5%158th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 90.5%233rd highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 52.1%297th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1373117th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 3176th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 3,049688th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 12.0:1794th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 20.1%1,721st highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 29 mi (MSP)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EDNov 1
- ED IIJan 15
- EANov 1
- RDJan 15
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- Free
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 34 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | bachelors | $76,930 | $76,460 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $63,855 | $60,623 |
| EconomicsSocial Sciences | bachelors | $58,943 | $52,107 |
| PhysicsPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $52,107 | $39,009 |
| MathematicsMathematics & Statistics | bachelors | $45,529 | $46,478 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation | bachelors | $44,468 | $42,123 |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $38,289 | $38,829 |
| Political Science and GovernmentSocial Sciences | bachelors | $35,701 | $38,289 |
| History | bachelors | $34,526 | $22,920 |
| Social WorkPublic Administration | bachelors | $34,420 | $39,729 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesArea & Ethnic Studies | bachelors | $32,569 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $30,771 | — |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Evangelical Lutheran Churchsource
- Founded in 1874source
- Athletic nickname: "Oles"source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
- School colors: Black and Goldsource
- Mascot: St. Olaf Lion, "Ole"source
- Motto: "(Nynorsk)"source
- Campus size: about 920 acressource
- Formerly known as "Saint Olaf’s School" (1874–1889)source
- Athletic conference: MIACsource
- Plays for the "Goat Trophy"source
- Plays for the "The Troll Trophy{{cite journal|url=http://concordiamn.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/20130919tnj1c2|title=The Ugliest Rivalry Trophy In The Nation|journal=Concordia (MN)|date=September 19, 2013|access-date=December 12, 2015}}" (since 1921)source
- Fight song: ""Um Ya Ya""source
- Notable alum: Ernest Lawrencesource
- Notable alum: Siri Hustvedtsource
- Notable alum: Robert Blysource
- Notable alum: Brett Hullsource
Athletics — 16 sports
NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III
Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Other Sports
- Skiing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
- Soccer: 2023
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.
Key links
- Official websitewp.stolaf.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 174844)
- Compare colleges in MNRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in MinnesotaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: St Olaf College vs Bemidji State UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 16 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.