St Olaf College

St Olaf College's published cost of attendance is $71,843. Financial aid reshapes that figure substantially across income levels.

Low-income families pay approximately $10,404; middle-income families pay around $12,584; higher-income families pay approximately $33,166. Azimuth ranks St Olaf College #1066 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. St Olaf's aid structure is need-based, with no merit component.

The college meets demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students under current financial aid policies. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The aid package may include need-based scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans; the college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $40,568; 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 $56,323, median federal debt of $26,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $294 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 St Olaf College earn median 4-year earnings of $56,323, placing St Olaf College in the 31.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $17,675 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing St Olaf College in the 7.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks St Olaf College #1132 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects St Olaf College's concentration in Social Sciences, which anchors the institution's long-term financial outcomes.

Biology, General is the largest program with 111 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $62,818, performing at 1.1x the national benchmark for the field. The Economics program graduates 80 students earning median 4-year earnings of $84,559, while Mathematics delivers median 4-year earnings of $87,691 across 75 graduates.

Research Psychology and Political Science round out the top programs, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $56,282 and $57,869 respectively. This program mix — anchored in Social Sciences at 18%, supplemented by Arts at 11% and other STEM fields at 5% — supports consistent outcomes across a mixed enrollment.

St Olaf College's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences — a signature reflected across the institution's largest degree programs. Biology, General is the largest program with 111 graduates, followed by Economics, Mathematics, Research Psychology, and Political Science.

Across 31 total programs serving roughly 960 students annually, this concentration in Social Sciences shapes both the institution's academic identity and graduate outcomes. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in specific subfields within the broader Social Sciences family and related applied fields.

Mathematics leads with median earnings of $87,691 four years after enrollment, with 75 graduates. Economics follows with 80 graduates earning $84,559, and Biology, General delivers median earnings of $62,818 for 111 graduates.

Political Science and Research Psychology round out the highest-earning programs with $57,869 and $56,282 respectively. This earnings pattern reflects St Olaf College's positioning as a liberal arts college where outcomes vary meaningfully by field choice.

Many of St Olaf College's strongest programs are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory — particularly in fields like biology, chemistry, and psychology where graduates often continue to graduate or professional school. Others, including business and economics-adjacent fields, are high-mobility direct-to-workforce programs where graduates enter the labor market immediately and earnings reflect national outcomes.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how St Olaf College's dominant program families align with labor-market demand and wage growth trends.