Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Augustana College #1056 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,764 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Augustana College in the 14.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Augustana College #921 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Augustana College's composite ranking reflects strong outcomes across access, affordability, and return on investment. Graduates earn about $12,764 less than similar students at comparable institutions, supported by a broad program mix that delivers consistent financial outcomes. The institution's focus on return on investment places it in the 37.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting its ability to balance cost and long-term earnings.
Azimuth ranks Augustana College #1056 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Rock Island, Illinois, Augustana College enrolls roughly 2,490 undergraduates. Retention is 82.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 72.9%, reflecting solid conversion of enrollment into degree completion. Where Augustana College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Augustana College #921 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,764 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Augustana College in the 14.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. This performance reflects the college's strength in Business and related fields, where employers actively recruit and early-career earnings tend to be solid. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Augustana College sits in the 44.9 percentile for access and the 27.5 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a private institution with a published cost of attendance above the national median for baccalaureate colleges, Augustana College serves students whose families can manage higher upfront costs or who qualify for need-based aid. The college enrolls 24.0% Pell-eligible students and 22.2% first-generation undergraduates, reflecting a moderate but not majority low-income presence. For families weighing affordability, Financial GPS tool offers scenario-specific projections by major and debt level.
Augustana College's published cost of attendance is $63,553, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $15,787; middle-income families pay around $16,865; higher-income families pay approximately $28,086. Azimuth ranks Augustana College #1034 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Augustana College's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid distributed through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional sources. The college participates in federal work-study and merit scholarships as well, allowing families to shape their financing mix. The gap between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid, though the narrower spread at Augustana compared with larger endowed institutions means families should carefully compare net prices across peer colleges. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,219; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,377, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Augustana College is a strong fit for students interested in Business and other applied fields who want a private liberal arts college experience in IL. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $60,377, placing Augustana College in the 45.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $12,764 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Augustana College in the 14.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 24.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 22.2% are first-generation — and delivers outcomes that place Augustana College in the 85.6 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 62.7% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors Business and similar applied fields over research-oriented ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find meaningful returns relative to IL's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $32,990.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Augustana College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Accounting and Related Services
31 graduates
Engineering Physics
12 graduates
Computer Science
27 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
51 graduates
International Business
13 graduates
Augustana College's program mix is anchored in business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's identity as a private liberal arts college with a strong applied-outcomes focus. Biology, General is the largest program with 78 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Psychology, General, Business Administration, and Digital Marketing.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 735 students annually, the institution's program portfolio emphasizes Business (representing 22% of graduates), Education (representing 10%), and Social Sciences (representing 8%). The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in business and quantitative fields.
Accounting graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $91,143 with 31 graduates, while Computer Science delivers $83,339 across 27 graduates. Business Administration reaches $81,562 with 51 graduates, and Biology, General achieves $68,648.
These programs reflect the institution's concentration in applied professional pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect regional and national labor-market outcomes. Augustana College's program-mix signature — anchored in business, professional studies, and applied social sciences — positions graduates for stable career entry and earnings growth aligned with the Midwest professional market.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with labor-market demand in the region and nationally.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Augustana College's published cost of attendance is $63,553, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $15,787; middle-income families pay around $16,865; higher-income families pay approximately $28,086.
Azimuth ranks Augustana College #1034 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Augustana College's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid distributed through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional sources. The college participates in federal work-study and merit scholarships as well, allowing families to shape their financing mix.
The gap between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid, though the narrower spread at Augustana compared with larger endowed institutions means families should carefully compare net prices across peer colleges. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,219; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,377, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Augustana College earn median 4-year earnings of $60,377, placing Augustana College in the 45.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Augustana College sits in the 14.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Augustana College #921 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Augustana College's concentration in business and professional fields.
Biology, General is the largest program with 78 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $68,648, performing at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Subject-Specific Teacher Education program graduates 59 students earning $52,092, while Psychology, General and Business Administration round out the institution's core program portfolio with 52 and 51 graduates respectively.
These programs anchor Augustana College's outcomes in stable, employer-accessible fields that support consistent post-graduation earnings across the student body.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Wisconsin-Platteville Higher acceptance rate (19.6 percentage points higher) and located 85 miles away; similar graduate earnings | WI | 87% | $61,760 | Compare |
University Of Iowa Higher acceptance rate (17 percentage points higher) and located 52 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IA | 85% | $64,762 | Compare |
Mount Mercy University Higher acceptance rate (11.1 percentage points higher) and located 66 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IA | 79% | $60,787 | Compare |
Wartburg College Higher acceptance rate (31.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | IA | 99% | $56,201 | Compare |
Northwood University Higher acceptance rate (16.2 percentage points higher); similar graduate earnings | MI | 84% | $63,075 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
West Virginia Wesleyan College Similar quality tier (#29432 ranked) | WV | 93% | $51,593 | #29432 | Compare |
Trine University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#29430 ranked) | IN | 85% | $57,165 | #29430 | Compare |
Rollins College Similar quality tier (#29429 ranked) | FL | 48% | $58,295 | #29429 | Compare |
Wisconsin Lutheran College Similar quality tier in Midwest (#29440 ranked) | WI | 78% | $54,664 | #29440 | Compare |
Simpson College Similar quality tier in Midwest (#29442 ranked) | IA | 86% | $59,274 | #29442 | Compare |
