Wartburg College vs St Olaf College

Wartburg College and St. Olaf College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Wartburg, nestled in Waverly, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to St. Olaf's selective admissions (38%). While St. Olaf's student body is slightly larger, both colleges share a vibrant residential campus culture. Wartburg excels in nursing and education programs, while St. Olaf shines in music and science. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Wartburg at 70% and St. Olaf at 84%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these colleges' unique strengths and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
St Olaf College logo

St Olaf College

Wartburg College logo

Wartburg College

Overview

Location Northfield, Minnesota Waverly, Iowa
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 91.0% 74.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Evangelical Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 47.4% 82.8%
Application fees
SAT range 1240 - 1430 973 - 1198
ACT range 28 - 33 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 16.0% 8.0%
Students submitting ACT score 39.0% 49.0%
Total number of applicants 6,494 4,024
Total number of admissions given out 3,080 3,330
Admitted students who chose to enroll 755 413
Yield rate 24.5% 12.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $66,570 $59,890
Average net price $27,729 $23,022
Tuition $52,670 $45,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,720

Meal plan: $6,280
Room/dormitory: $5,730

Meal plan: $4,260
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $37,281
95.0%
Average amount $34,498
Students receiving federal student loan 49.0%
Average amount $5,006
72.0%
Average amount $5,442
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $15,087
13.0%
Average amount $14,049

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,988
Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
1,516
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
Graduate students N/A 25
Men 28.0% Women 72.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 27.7%
International students 10.2% 6.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 2,703 1,409
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Education
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Engineering
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 85.0% 69.9%
Dropout rate 3.9% 29.8%
Transferred out 11.0% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,475
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $85,264
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,389
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $67,970
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,177
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $61,505
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,461
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $48,934
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,797
  • Year 2: $46,478
  • Year 3: $47,009
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,149
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $45,715
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,228
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $44,563
Sociology and Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,528
  • Year 2: $31,708
  • Year 3: $42,811
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,398
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $41,551
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,226
  • Year 2: $23,166
  • Year 3: $38,521
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,999
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $63,021
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,367
  • Year 2: $47,595
  • Year 3: $53,215
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,779
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $44,236
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,368
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $42,652
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,087
  • Year 2: $35,546
  • Year 3: $39,411
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,075
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: $37,759
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,121
  • Year 3: $33,732
Engineering Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,225
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: N/A
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,030
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A

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