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Decorah , IA
Luther College is a private liberal arts college located in Decorah, Iowa. Established in 1861, Luther College has a rich history and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college offers over 60 majors and minors with a strong emphasis on the liberal arts education, providing students with a well-rounded education and critical thinking skills.
Luther College is known for its picturesque campus, nestled in the scenic Upper Iowa River Valley. The college maintains a close-knit community with a student-faculty ratio of 11:1, ensuring personalized attention to each student. The campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including science laboratories, a performing arts center, and a comprehensive library that houses a vast collection of resources.
Luther College is deeply committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship. It has implemented various initiatives, such as geo-thermal heating and cooling systems, and a wind turbine that supplies a substantial amount of energy to the campus. The college also offers numerous opportunities for students to engage in community service, both locally and globally, promoting a sense of social responsibility and global citizenship. With its strong academic programs, nurturing environment, and commitment to sustainability, Luther College offers students a unique and fulfilling educational experience.
Luther College is a private four-year college located in Decorah, IA. This educational institution operates on a 4-1-4 calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 84%. The freshman retention rate at Luther College is 77% and the six-year graduation rate is 71%.
Learn more about what Luther College has to offer based on the most recent data this institution has reported.
Quick Facts
1,384
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$53,190
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
71%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most important facts you need to know about admission policy and requirements at Luther College.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,883 in 2025. Luther College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant chooses to submit them. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of applicants who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 9% and ACT scores 17%. 21.9% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 37.5% between 1,200 and 1,399, 31.3% between 1,000 and 1,199, 6.3% of the students between 800 and 999, and 3% of the students between 600 and 799. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 18.5, 46.1 between 24-29, 23.1 in the range between 18-23, and 12.3 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the admitted students in 2025 was 25 and the average GPA was 3.6. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Luther College; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 611 for the newly enrolled students, while the average SAT Math score was 621.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university newcomers who return for their sophomore year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Luther College was 77%, indicative of the exceptional educational experience and supportive environment at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year graduation rate at this institution stands at 71%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the decision of which school is the optimal fit for you is not simple. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by finding out more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 1,384 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 73% for that year. 27 students were accepted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 648 male and 678 female full-time students in 2025.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into account when applying to any college or university is the financial component. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition fees for this university.
In 2025, tuition amounted to $53,190 for all full-time domestic students. As this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 had to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,060.
Books and Supplies
The approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another significant financial factor. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $1,040.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
In 2025, room and board cost at Luther College amounted to $12,100 a year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school reached $5,720, according to the data from 2025. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was also $5,720.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 53,190 |
| Room and Board | $ 12,100 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,040 |
| Total Expense | $ 66,330 |
Financial Aid
Be it a grant, loan, scholarship, or work-study program, any type of financial aid can be a great deal for most students. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based aid available at Luther College.
According to the most recent data, 303 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $48,772 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
There were 1,050 students who got need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Luther College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 1,050. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution was $2,450,919, and state $1,146,448. The students of Luther College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $38,225,575, and external in the amount of $3,179,651.
$31,261
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Most students get non-need-based financial aid as Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the TEACH Grant.
941 students, including freshmen, received institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 289 full-time freshmen. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $2,450,919 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $26,159. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $9,438,410. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $519,454 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Luther College was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. According to the most recent information, there are 159 faculty members at this school. Out of that number, there were 84 male and 75 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Luther College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some information about campus life at Luther College.
It has a campus size of 200 acres.
Student Organizations
Involvement in student organizations can make your educational experience more dynamic and gratifying.
There are 80 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Health Sciences Club, followed by Rec Sports and Luther Students Nursing Association. Other popular student organizations at this school are Diversity Groups and Alpha Phi Omega.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. You have a talent for media and communication? Luther College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Luther College offers a number of services important for a pleasant and secure life on campus.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a 24-hour security patrol. This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Luther College.
All in all, campus life at Luther College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Luther College.
Career Counselling
At Luther College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Luther College is located in Decorah, IA.
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Luther College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 53,190 USD per academic year for Luther College.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Luther College is 84%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Luther College is 77%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.