Wartburg College

Wartburg College's published cost of attendance is $64,359. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $21,688, families in the lower-middle income range pay around $20,751, middle-income families pay about $27,056, families in the upper-middle income range pay approximately $28,873, and higher-income families pay around $38,864.

Azimuth ranks Wartburg College #1283 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.

Wartburg College's aid structure is need-based, with families applying through the FAFSA to demonstrate financial need. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs.

Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of cost for most students, and work-study is available as part of aid packages. The gap between published cost and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid, though the specific aid package each family receives depends on individual circumstances and the college's assessment of demonstrated need.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $27,152; 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 $58,373, 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 Wartburg College earn median 4-year earnings of $58,373, placing the institution in the 33.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,559 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Wartburg College in the 30.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Wartburg College #715 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 51.7 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentration in Business programs, which account for 24% of degrees. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 76 graduates earning median earnings of $74,824. Biology, General and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas also contribute to the institution's earnings profile, with graduates earning $67,036 and $48,074 respectively. These figures represent meaningful lifetime returns relative to IA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,809 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential).

Wartburg College's program mix centers on Business, reflecting the institution's applied-professional orientation as a private liberal arts college. The largest programs by enrollment are Business/Commerce, General with 76 graduates, Biology, General with 31 graduates, and Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 27 graduates, followed by Psychology, General and Kinesiology.

Across 25 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, serving roughly 380 students annually. The institution's strongest earnings outcomes cluster in Business-adjacent fields.

Accounting leads with median earnings of $89,696 four years after enrollment from 14 graduates, followed by Business/Commerce, General at $74,824 and Biology, General at $67,036. Communication and Media Studies and Subject-Specific Teacher Education round out the highest-earning programs, delivering $48,433 and $48,074 respectively.

This concentration reflects Wartburg College's strength in career-focused disciplines where employers actively recruit and early-career earnings reflect direct labor-market entry. The program portfolio balances applied-professional pathways with liberal arts breadth.

Business/Commerce, General, the largest program, generates substantial graduate volume and anchors the institution's economic profile through both scale and earnings. Several of these programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect national labor-market outcomes, while others support further education or professional certification.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Wartburg College's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.