Top Ranked Programs
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.