Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus College's published cost of attendance is $67,613, but need-based aid substantially reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $12,015; middle-income families pay around $13,875; higher-income families pay approximately $29,674.

Azimuth ranks Gustavus Adolphus College #1010 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.

Gustavus Adolphus College's aid structure emphasizes need-based support, with families applying through the FAFSA to determine eligibility for institutional grants and federal aid programs. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs, and work-study is available as part of aid packages for qualifying students.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,774, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $34,265; 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 $61,015, median federal debt of $26,774 projects to a monthly payment of about $303 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 Gustavus Adolphus College earn median 4-year earnings of $61,015, placing Gustavus Adolphus College in the 46.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,050 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Gustavus Adolphus College in the 23.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Gustavus Adolphus College #813 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect a liberal arts institution with a strong social sciences foundation and consistent early-career earnings across its program portfolio.

The earnings pattern is anchored by Psychology, General, which combines substantial enrollment with solid four-year earnings. Psychology, General is the largest program with 66 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $53,277, representing 1.1x the national benchmark for the field.

The Biology, General program graduates 52 students earning $54,202, while Business/Commerce, General with 43 graduates reaches $79,260. Kinesiology and Communication and Media Studies round out the top programs, each delivering four-year earnings in line with or above their respective field benchmarks.

The concentration in Social Sciences — which represents the institution's primary degree focus — supports predictable, moderate-to-strong outcomes across the student body, with graduates typically entering stable professional and analytical careers in the region and beyond.

Gustavus Adolphus College's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, a signature that reflects the institution's liberal arts identity and emphasis on social inquiry. The largest programs by enrollment are Psychology, General with 66 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $53,277, followed by Biology, General with 52 graduates earning $54,202, Business/Commerce, General with 43 graduates earning $79,260, Kinesiology with 39 graduates, and Communication and Media Studies with 36 graduates.

Across 33 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, serving roughly 671 students annually. The institution's highest-earning programs cluster in quantitative and applied fields.

Nursing leads with median 4-year earnings of $86,114 from 29 graduates, followed by Business/Commerce, General earning $79,260 from 43 graduates, Communication and Media Studies earning $69,423, Political Science earning $62,218, and Kinesiology earning $57,870. The earnings spread across the institution's ranked programs reflects both the breadth of Social Sciences and the presence of stronger-paying fields in business, natural sciences, and professional preparation.

Several of Gustavus Adolphus College's programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect labor-market outcomes in their fields. Others, particularly within Social Sciences, represent grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national wage trends and sector demand.