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Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota 56082-1498

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Tight-knitCollege townGreek life

Strong graduate outcomes

Gustavus Adolphus College is a private institution in Saint Peter with particular strength in business and biology. With an average SAT of 1320, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.9K undergraduates with a 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

76% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $65,607 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $26,895.

Established
1862
Motto
E Caelo Nobis Vires
Mascot
Gus the Lion
Type
Private liberal arts college
Conference
Minnesota
Division
Division III

Plan Your Visit

62%Acceptance
1320SAT Avg
1,930Students
11:1Student:Faculty
76%Grad Rate
$65,607Earnings 10yr
$26,895Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate61.8%

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 29
2531

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$54,310
Room & Board$11,290
Books & Supplies$900
Total Cost of Attendance$65,976
Average Net Price$26,895
Median Debt at Graduation$26,774
Monthly Payment (10yr)$284

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$15,799
$30–48K$14,251
$48–75K$17,611
$75–110K$26,149
$110K+$34,227

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

45.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

4.1%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$23,250

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

14

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

3

Burglary

1

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

1

Motor Vehicle Theft

2

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

4

Drug Arrests

3

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (38)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

84%

Mixed

Student Body

Undergrads
1,930
Gender Split
55% / 45%
Women / Men
First Generation
15%
Pell Grant Recipients
21%

Race & Ethnicity

White 80%
Black 2%
Hispanic 6%
Asian 2%
Two+ 5%
Int'l 4%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate75.8%
Freshman Retention84.2%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$51,546
10 Years$65,607

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

Rankings

U.S. News
#67
vs 2024
Forbes
#173
vs 2024
Wall Street Journal
#48
vs 2024
Washington Monthly
#18
vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Golden Gusties

Athletics areSoftballHockeyBasketballBandy worldTennis

History & Fun Facts

  • It offered classes for grade-school children; collegiate courses were not offered until nearly a decade later, but the college uses the earlier date as the year it was founded.
  • Originally named Minnesota Elementarskola (elementary school in Swedish), it moved the following year to East Union, an unincorporated town in Dahlgren Township.
  • In 1865, on the 1,000th anniversary of the death of St.
  • 1905 In April 1873, the college was to be renamed Gustavus Adolphus Literary Theological Institute in honor of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden once the final location and buildings were secured.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

97Average

Estimated from MN state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Minneapolispop. 430K
57 mi(99 min)
Milwaukeepop. 570K
316 mi(548 min)
Chicagopop. 2.7M
362 mi(627 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

MSP Minneapolis-St Paul53 mi
MKE Milwaukee318 mi
ORD Chicago O'Hare346 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA1156 mi · ~33h 24m drive
New York, NY1044 mi · ~30h 10m drive
Hartford, CT1087 mi · ~31h 24m drive
Providence, RI1148 mi · ~33h 10m drive
Albany, NY1017 mi · ~29h 23m drive
Syracuse, NY893 mi · ~25h 48m drive
Rochester, NY819 mi · ~23h 40m drive
Buffalo, NY761 mi · ~21h 59m drive
Philadelphia, PA1007 mi · ~29h 5m drive
Pittsburgh, PA761 mi · ~21h 59m drive
Harrisburg, PA915 mi · ~26h 26m drive
Newark, NJ1035 mi · ~29h 54m drive
Washington, DC949 mi · ~27h 25m drive
Baltimore, MD957 mi · ~27h 39m drive
Atlanta, GA892 mi · ~25h 46m drive
Charlotte, NC937 mi · ~27h 4m drive
Raleigh, NC1000 mi · ~28h 53m drive
Miami, FL1496 mi · ~43h 13m drive
Orlando, FL1293 mi · ~37h 21m drive
Tampa, FL1298 mi · ~37h 30m drive
Nashville, TN679 mi · ~19h 37m drive
New Orleans, LA1016 mi · ~29h 21m drive
Richmond, VA980 mi · ~28h 19m drive
Chicago, IL362 mi · ~10h 27m drive
Detroit, MI566 mi · ~16h 21m drive
Minneapolis, MN57 mi · ~1h 39m drive
St. Louis, MO439 mi · ~12h 41m drive
Kansas City, MO362 mi · ~10h 27m drive
Indianapolis, IN509 mi · ~14h 42m drive
Columbus, OH637 mi · ~18h 24m drive
Cleveland, OH650 mi · ~18h 47m drive
Milwaukee, WI316 mi · ~9h 8m drive
Dallas, TX812 mi · ~23h 27m drive
Houston, TX1009 mi · ~29h 9m drive
Austin, TX993 mi · ~28h 41m drive
San Antonio, TX1059 mi · ~30h 36m drive
Los Angeles, CA1473 mi · ~42h 33m drive
San Francisco, CA1541 mi · ~44h 31m drive
San Diego, CA1480 mi · ~42h 45m drive
Seattle, WA1373 mi · ~39h 40m drive
Portland, OR1399 mi · ~40h 25m drive
Denver, CO647 mi · ~18h 41m drive
Phoenix, AZ1225 mi · ~35h 23m drive
Salt Lake City, UT943 mi · ~27h 15m drive
Honolulu, HI3926 mi · ~113h 25m drive
Upper Midwest / Northeast (cold winters, warm summers)

Visit Planning

Deadline Calendar

Gustavus Adolphus College Application Checklist

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