Augustana University

Augustana University's published cost of attendance is $55,159. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $18,746, middle-income families pay around $17,937, and higher-income families pay approximately $27,327.

Azimuth ranks Augustana University #932 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 University participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. The institution's aid structure prioritizes meeting demonstrated financial need for admitted students.

Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile to access need-based aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,546; 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 $65,005, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 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 University earn median 4-year earnings of $65,005, placing Augustana University in the 64.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,322 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Augustana University in the 47.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Augustana University #492 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Augustana University's concentration in health-related fields.

Nursing is the largest program with 80 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $77,844, representing 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 52 students earning $68,463, while Teacher Education with 49 graduates reaches $46,600.

These programs anchor strong, stable career pathways in demand-driven sectors where employers recruit consistently and early-career earnings remain solid across the graduate cohort.

Augustana University's program mix is anchored in health professions and sciences, reflecting the institution's identity as a health-focused private liberal arts university. Nursing is the largest program with 80 graduates, followed by Business Administration, Teacher Education, Biology, General, and Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services.

The dominant program family—Health—represents 17% of degrees, with Education and Social Sciences providing additional breadth across 30 programs. Among the institution's ranked programs, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with health-sector demand.

Nursing graduates earn median earnings of $77,844 four years after enrollment with 80 graduates, while Accounting delivers median earnings of $68,523 and Business Administration reaches $68,463. Biology, General and Kinesiology round out the highest-earning programs with median earnings of $67,630 and $58,906 respectively.

This earnings concentration in health and applied-science fields reflects both strong regional employer demand in the Upper Midwest and the direct-to-workforce pathway typical of nursing, allied health, and clinical-science graduates. Augustana University's program portfolio positions students for stable, in-demand careers in healthcare and related sectors.

Many of these programs—particularly in nursing and allied health—are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's health-professions concentration aligns with sustained national and regional wage growth in these fields.