Luther- Norse vs. St. John's College

Comparable Facts

Compare Luther College in Decorah, IA with St. John's College in Santa Fe, NM on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Luther College is larger than St. John's College based on total student enrollment (1,384 students vs. 467 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Luther College is located in Decorah, IA (Remote Town setting); St. John's College is in Santa Fe, NM (Rural Fringe setting).
• Luther College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. St. John's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Luther College 9:1; St. John's College 8:1.

Luther- Norse vs. St. John's College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or St. John's College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Luther College than St. John's College ($24,511 vs. $25,209).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 28.3% lower than at St. John's College ($11,530 vs. $16,088).
• Luther College is 28.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. John's College (about $11,616 more per year; $52,120.00 vs. $40,504.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.7% higher at Luther- Norse than at St. John's College (about $11,616 more per year; $52,120.00 vs. $40,504.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Luther College than at St. John's College (100% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 33.5% larger than aid received by St. John's College students ($40,917 vs. $30,644).

Luther- Norse vs. St. John's College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Luther- Norse or St. John's College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between St. John's College and Luther- Norse.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. John's College (1380) is 140 points higher than at Luther- Norse (1240).
• Incoming St. John's College students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 25 at Luther- Norse).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Luther College 1078/1406; St. John's College 1290/1460.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Luther College 22/29; St. John's College 28/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Luther- Norse - Test optional; St. John's College - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. John's College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65).
• Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (71.5%) than St. John's College (53.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.9% at Luther- Norse vs. 37% at St. John's College.

Luther- Norse vs. St. John's College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Luther- Norse and St. John's College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Luther College's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than St. John's College's (53%).
• Graduates from Luther College earn a median of about $14,400 more per year than St. John's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,000 vs. $35,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. John's College and Luther- Norse graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, St. John's College and Luther- Norse graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. John's College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 72%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.