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Basic Information

Type Private, Liberal Arts
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Lutheran (ELCA)
Location Decorah, IA
Population 20,000
Website http://www.luther.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,700 (67%)
Days Without Precipitation 260 (74%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 1,373
Men / Women 48% / 52%
From State 27%
From Region 47%
Athletes 47.5%

Racial/Ethnic

White 71%
International 15%
Hispanic 6%
Black 5%
Native American 1%
Asian 1%
Mixed 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 42.4% 42.4% 2012 Men: 43.6% 43.6% 2013 Men: 43.5% 43.5% 2014 Men: 45.8% 45.8% 2015 Men: 47.1% 47.1% 2016 Men: 46.7% 46.7% 2017 Men: 43.7% 43.7% 2018 Men: 39.7% 39.7% 2019 Men: 46.9% 46.9% 2020 Men: 43.7% 43.7% 2021 Men: 48.4% 48.4% 2022 Men: 45.8% 45.8% 2023 Men: 51.7% 51.7% 2024 Men: 54.9% 54.9%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2012 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2013 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2016 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2022 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2024 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2011 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2012 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2013 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2014 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2015 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2016 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2017 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2018 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2019 Asian: 2.4% 2.4% 2020 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2021 Asian: 1.3% 1.3% 2022 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2023 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2024 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2011 Black: 1.7% 1.7% 2012 Black: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2014 Black: 1.4% 1.4% 2015 Black: 2.3% 2.3% 2016 Black: 2.0% 2.0% 2017 Black: 1.1% 1.1% 2018 Black: 1.4% 1.4% 2019 Black: 1.6% 1.6% 2020 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2021 Black: 3.2% 3.2% 2022 Black: 2.5% 2.5% 2023 Black: 1.6% 1.6% 2024 Black: 2.7% 2.7% 2011 Hispanic: 2.1% 2.1% 2012 Hispanic: 1.5% 1.5% 2013 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2014 Hispanic: 2.2% 2.2% 2015 Hispanic: 2.7% 2.7% 2016 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2017 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2018 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2019 Hispanic: 3.8% 3.8% 2020 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2021 Hispanic: 5.1% 5.1% 2022 Hispanic: 5.8% 5.8% 2023 Hispanic: 6.8% 6.8% 2024 Hispanic: 7.4% 7.4% 2011 White: 88.7% 88.7% 2012 White: 88.9% 88.9% 2013 White: 83.8% 83.8% 2014 White: 81.1% 81.1% 2015 White: 77.2% 77.2% 2016 White: 90.2% 90.2% 2017 White: 86.6% 86.6% 2018 White: 85.9% 85.9% 2019 White: 83.9% 83.9% 2020 White: 82.6% 82.6% 2021 White: 83.0% 83.0% 2022 White: 80.2% 80.2% 2023 White: 78.3% 78.3% 2024 White: 74.7% 74.7% 2011 International: 1.7% 1.7% 2012 International: 4.3% 4.3% 2013 International: 4.6% 4.6% 2014 International: 4.3% 4.3% 2015 International: 4.9% 4.9% 2016 International: 3.4% 3.4% 2017 International: 5.9% 5.9% 2018 International: 5.9% 5.9% 2019 International: 6.1% 6.1% 2020 International: 5.4% 5.4% 2021 International: 5.6% 5.6% 2022 International: 7.7% 7.7% 2023 International: 8.7% 8.7% 2024 International: 9.7% 9.7%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2022 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2025 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2020 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2021 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2022 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2023 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2024 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2025 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2020 Black: 2.3% 2.3% 2021 Black: 2.1% 2.1% 2022 Black: 2.9% 2.9% 2023 Black: 3.1% 3.1% 2024 Black: 3.6% 3.6% 2025 Black: 4.5% 4.5% 2020 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2021 Hispanic: 6.6% 6.6% 2022 Hispanic: 6.8% 6.8% 2023 Hispanic: 6.5% 6.5% 2024 Hispanic: 6.7% 6.7% 2025 Hispanic: 6.4% 6.4% 2020 White: 77.5% 77.5% 2021 White: 77.6% 77.6% 2022 White: 75.2% 75.2% 2023 White: 74.7% 74.7% 2024 White: 73.0% 73.0% 2025 White: 70.6% 70.6% 2020 International: 9.4% 9.4% 2021 International: 8.1% 8.1% 2022 International: 10.1% 10.1% 2023 International: 11.2% 11.2% 2024 International: 12.9% 12.9% 2025 International: 14.9% 14.9%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Luther College 353 45% / 55% 14% $63,158 43 98%
Computer Science 13 — 85% / 15% 62% $125,256 99 100%
Information Science/Studies 13 +2 77% / 23% 54% $85,326 84 —
Chemistry 12 +1 58% / 42% 17% $63,373 44 —
Mathematics 4 +1 50% / 50% 0% $71,716 65 96%
Mathematics and Statistics 3 — 33% / 67% 67% $84,248 83 —
Physics — +4 — — $77,785 75 —
Biology 23 +1 30% / 70% 4% $67,661 56 95%
Infectious Disease and Global Health 3 — 33% / 67% 33% $60,990 37 —
Neuroscience 8 +2 25% / 75% 62% $58,502 29 —
Environmental Studies 14 +1 36% / 64% 0% $54,667 19 96%
Exercise Science 11 — 82% / 18% 0% $54,378 18 100%
Global Health — — — — $54,373 18 —
Health Sciences 18 — 44% / 56% 0% $48,789 9 100%
Health and Wellness 2 — 100% / 0% 0% $48,789 9 100%
Nursing 33 — 15% / 85% 0% $80,466 79 97%
Accounting 10 +1 40% / 60% 30% $97,309 92 100%
Business Administration 25 +4 80% / 20% 24% $65,976 51 97%
Economics 10 +3 70% / 30% 60% $78,219 76 —
Anthropology 4 +2 25% / 75% 0% $49,728 10 —
Classical Languages — — — — $49,488 10 —
Communication 12 — 33% / 67% 0% $56,066 22 100%
Cultural Studies 2 +1 0% / 100% 50% $51,400 12 —
English 9 +1 11% / 89% 0% $46,340 6 97%
French — — — — $47,147 7 —
German 1 +2 100% / 0% 0% $51,709 13 100%
History 8 — 50% / 50% 0% $51,499 12 94%
Interdisciplinary Studies 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $50,919 12 —
International Studies 5 +3 60% / 40% 40% $40,195 3 91%
Philosophy — — — — $48,398 8 —
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics 5 +1 60% / 40% 0% $51,668 13 —
Political Science 7 +6 57% / 43% 14% $60,620 36 92%
Psychology 18 +3 39% / 61% 6% $49,433 10 —
Religious Studies 1 +1 100% / 0% 0% $46,587 7 100%
Scandinavian Languages 2 +9 100% / 0% 0% $51,709 13 100%
Social Work 11 +2 36% / 64% 18% $50,827 11 100%
Sociology 2 +1 50% / 50% 0% $49,885 10 —
Spanish — +7 — — $47,147 7 92%
Elementary Education 10 — 10% / 90% 0% $51,922 13 100%
Art 3 +2 0% / 100% 0% $51,218 12 100%
Music 17 — 24% / 76% 0% $50,591 11 98%
Music Pedagogy 16 — 50% / 50% 0% $50,591 11 98%
Theater 2 +2 50% / 50% 0% $41,472 3 —
Theatre Management — — — — $42,931 4 —
Visual Communication Design 15 +3 60% / 40% 20% $49,139 9 —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $62,055
ROI Percentile 43th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 77%
4-Year Graduation Rate 61%
6-Year Graduation Rate 71%
Transfer-Out Rate 13%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 69.3% 69.3% 2012 Graduated: 77.2% 77.2% 2013 Graduated: 76.0% 76.0% 2014 Graduated: 81.6% 81.6% 2015 Graduated: 77.5% 77.5% 2016 Graduated: 78.9% 78.9% 2017 Graduated: 80.1% 80.1% 2018 Graduated: 79.3% 79.3% 2019 Graduated: 75.1% 75.1% 2020 Graduated: 76.7% 76.7% 2021 Graduated: 72.6% 72.6% 2022 Graduated: 74.2% 74.2% 2023 Graduated: 75.0% 75.0% 2024 Graduated: 71.1% 71.1%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 63.3% 63.3% 2012 Men: 76.2% 76.2% 2013 Men: 70.2% 70.2% 2014 Men: 82.6% 82.6% 2015 Men: 77.6% 77.6% 2016 Men: 74.7% 74.7% 2017 Men: 78.6% 78.6% 2018 Men: 73.2% 73.2% 2019 Men: 70.3% 70.3% 2020 Men: 69.9% 69.9% 2021 Men: 67.9% 67.9% 2022 Men: 69.1% 69.1% 2023 Men: 68.1% 68.1% 2024 Men: 64.5% 64.5% 2011 Women: 74.0% 74.0% 2012 Women: 78.0% 78.0% 2013 Women: 80.5% 80.5% 2014 Women: 80.9% 80.9% 2015 Women: 77.4% 77.4% 2016 Women: 82.2% 82.2% 2017 Women: 81.2% 81.2% 2018 Women: 84.1% 84.1% 2019 Women: 78.8% 78.8% 2020 Women: 82.5% 82.5% 2021 Women: 76.7% 76.7% 2022 Women: 78.7% 78.7% 2023 Women: 80.3% 80.3% 2024 Women: 75.4% 75.4%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Hispanic: 92.3% 92.3% 2012 Hispanic: 88.9% 88.9% 2013 Hispanic: 66.7% 66.7% 2014 Hispanic: 64.3% 64.3% 2015 Hispanic: 61.1% 61.1% 2016 Hispanic: 65.0% 65.0% 2017 Hispanic: 60.0% 60.0% 2018 Hispanic: 60.0% 60.0% 2019 Hispanic: 54.2% 54.2% 2020 Hispanic: 45.2% 45.2% 2021 Hispanic: 53.1% 53.1% 2022 Hispanic: 63.3% 63.3% 2023 Hispanic: 57.1% 57.1% 2024 Hispanic: 56.1% 56.1% 2011 White: 70.4% 70.4% 2012 White: 76.9% 76.9% 2013 White: 76.3% 76.3% 2014 White: 83.6% 83.6% 2015 White: 79.7% 79.7% 2016 White: 79.9% 79.9% 2017 White: 80.5% 80.5% 2018 White: 80.3% 80.3% 2019 White: 76.0% 76.0% 2020 White: 78.6% 78.6% 2021 White: 74.3% 74.3% 2022 White: 76.5% 76.5% 2023 White: 77.2% 77.2% 2024 White: 72.5% 72.5% 2011 International: 72.7% 72.7% 2012 International: 88.5% 88.5% 2013 International: 73.3% 73.3% 2014 International: 88.9% 88.9% 2015 International: 81.2% 81.2% 2016 International: 76.2% 76.2% 2017 International: 94.6% 94.6% 2018 International: 92.1% 92.1% 2019 International: 78.9% 78.9% 2020 International: 90.0% 90.0% 2021 International: 82.9% 82.9% 2022 International: 82.5% 82.5% 2023 International: 77.8% 77.8% 2024 International: 79.6% 79.6%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 24.9% 88 41% / 59% 8% $51,006 12 97%
Health Sciences 18.1% 64 38% / 62% 0% $66,083 52 98%
Arts 15.0% 53 42% / 58% 6% $49,871 10 98%
Business & Economics 12.7% 45 69% / 31% 33% $75,660 72 98%
Life & Natural Sciences 9.6% 34 29% / 71% 21% $64,917 48 95%
Computer Science 7.4% 26 81% / 19% 58% $105,291 96 100%
Physical Sciences & Math 5.4% 19 53% / 47% 21% $68,425 57 96%
Agriculture & Food Science 4.0% 14 36% / 64% 0% $54,667 19 96%
Education 2.8% 10 10% / 90% 0% $51,922 13 100%

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 76%
Yield (Unbound) 20%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 76% 76% 76%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 72.1% 72.1% 2012 Acceptance: 70.2% 70.2% 2013 Acceptance: 72.1% 72.1% 2014 Acceptance: 71.2% 71.2% 2015 Acceptance: 66.9% 66.9% 2016 Acceptance: 67.6% 67.6% 2017 Acceptance: 65.1% 65.1% 2018 Acceptance: 62.6% 62.6% 2019 Acceptance: 62.3% 62.3% 2020 Acceptance: 64.3% 64.3% 2021 Acceptance: 76.1% 76.1% 2022 Acceptance: 75.3% 75.3% 2023 Acceptance: 73.3% 73.3% 2024 Acceptance: 71.5% 71.5% 2011 Yield: 23.6% 23.6% 2012 Yield: 25.9% 25.9% 2013 Yield: 25.0% 25.0% 2014 Yield: 22.8% 22.8% 2015 Yield: 23.9% 23.9% 2016 Yield: 19.9% 19.9% 2017 Yield: 18.5% 18.5% 2018 Yield: 20.0% 20.0% 2019 Yield: 20.6% 20.6% 2020 Yield: 19.4% 19.4% 2021 Yield: 23.4% 23.4% 2022 Yield: 24.3% 24.3% 2023 Yield: 19.6% 19.6% 2024 Yield: 19.9% 19.9%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 3,683 3,683 2012 Applicants: 3,556 3,556 2013 Applicants: 3,490 3,490 2014 Applicants: 3,440 3,440 2015 Applicants: 3,896 3,896 2016 Applicants: 3,856 3,856 2017 Applicants: 4,288 4,288 2018 Applicants: 4,422 4,422 2019 Applicants: 4,108 4,108 2020 Applicants: 3,640 3,640 2021 Applicants: 2,495 2,495 2022 Applicants: 2,188 2,188 2023 Applicants: 2,447 2,447 2024 Applicants: 2,632 2,632 2011 Admitted: 2,657 2,657 2012 Admitted: 2,495 2,495 2013 Admitted: 2,517 2,517 2014 Admitted: 2,448 2,448 2015 Admitted: 2,606 2,606 2016 Admitted: 2,608 2,608 2017 Admitted: 2,791 2,791 2018 Admitted: 2,767 2,767 2019 Admitted: 2,558 2,558 2020 Admitted: 2,340 2,340 2021 Admitted: 1,898 1,898 2022 Admitted: 1,648 1,648 2023 Admitted: 1,793 1,793 2024 Admitted: 1,883 1,883 2011 Enrolled: 627 627 2012 Enrolled: 645 645 2013 Enrolled: 628 628 2014 Enrolled: 559 559 2015 Enrolled: 624 624 2016 Enrolled: 520 520 2017 Enrolled: 517 517 2018 Enrolled: 554 554 2019 Enrolled: 527 527 2020 Enrolled: 453 453 2021 Enrolled: 444 444 2022 Enrolled: 400 400 2023 Enrolled: 352 352 2024 Enrolled: 375 375

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 26%
SAT Range 1070 – 1400
SAT Math Range 520 – 730
SAT RW Range 550 – 660

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 950 950 2012 25th: 950 950 2013 25th: 933 933 2014 25th: 943 943 2015 25th: 970 970 2016 25th: 928 928 2017 25th: 1023 1023 2018 25th: 1050 1050 2019 25th: 1030 1030 2020 25th: 1030 1030 2021 25th: 1088 1088 2022 25th: 1075 1075 2023 25th: 1098 1098 2024 25th: 1078 1078 2011 75th: 1265 1265 2012 75th: 1225 1225 2013 75th: 1248 1248 2014 75th: 1250 1250 2015 75th: 1265 1265 2016 75th: 1198 1198 2017 75th: 1305 1305 2018 75th: 1310 1310 2019 75th: 1265 1265 2020 75th: 1280 1280 2021 75th: 1318 1318 2022 75th: 1330 1330 2023 75th: 1318 1318 2024 75th: 1406 1406

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 510 510 2012 25th: 500 500 2013 25th: 500 500 2014 25th: 510 510 2015 25th: 475 475 2016 25th: 480 480 2017 25th: 520 520 2018 25th: 540 540 2019 25th: 520 520 2020 25th: 520 520 2021 25th: 560 560 2022 25th: 555 555 2023 25th: 548 548 2024 25th: 528 528 2011 75th: 640 640 2012 75th: 620 620 2013 75th: 638 638 2014 75th: 640 640 2015 75th: 640 640 2016 75th: 625 625 2017 75th: 665 665 2018 75th: 650 650 2019 75th: 630 630 2020 75th: 640 640 2021 75th: 688 688 2022 75th: 690 690 2023 75th: 668 668 2024 75th: 738 738

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 440 440 2012 25th: 450 450 2013 25th: 433 433 2014 25th: 433 433 2015 25th: 495 495 2016 25th: 448 448 2017 25th: 503 503 2018 25th: 510 510 2019 25th: 510 510 2020 25th: 510 510 2021 25th: 528 528 2022 25th: 520 520 2023 25th: 550 550 2024 25th: 550 550 2011 75th: 625 625 2012 75th: 605 605 2013 75th: 610 610 2014 75th: 610 610 2015 75th: 625 625 2016 75th: 573 573 2017 75th: 640 640 2018 75th: 660 660 2019 75th: 635 635 2020 75th: 640 640 2021 75th: 630 630 2022 75th: 640 640 2023 75th: 650 650 2024 75th: 668 668

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2014 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 Submitted: 98.0% 98.0% 2017 Submitted: 98.0% 98.0% 2018 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2019 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2020 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2021 Submitted: 45.0% 45.0% 2022 Submitted: 39.0% 39.0% 2023 Submitted: 39.0% 39.0% 2024 Submitted: 26.0% 26.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.