Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities bachelor's degree outcomes at Luther College

Decorah, IA · Private nonprofit · Federal field 2401

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$1,749 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
49.3% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
Not reached
10-year scenario
−64% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$54,821 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+27%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$42,926$54,501
445Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
125Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
596Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
Not availableBorrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$31,244Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

953Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
248Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
321Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
831Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$54,821$20,013 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 89 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$23,097

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$27,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$54,821

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$286/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$23,097Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$65,461Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE71.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE71.1%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$42,926Year 1
$54,821Year 4
$54,501Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,568
Estimated loan payment$286
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$54,821 vs. $53,072

$1,749 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$71,680 median wageIA estimate · 1,480 jobs · 25-1199+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeNO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Iowa City, IA

University of Iowa

$6,379 higher earnings · $1,731 less debt · $566 lower annual net price

Earnings
$61,200
Debt
$25,269
Annual net price
$22,531
View outcomes →
Storm Lake, IA

Buena Vista University

$9,011 higher earnings · $4,251 lower annual net price

Earnings
$63,832
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$18,846
View outcomes →
Grinnell, IA

Grinnell College

$4,817 higher earnings · $5,449 lower annual net price

Earnings
$59,638
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$17,648
View outcomes →
Ames, IA

Iowa State University

$68 higher earnings · $4,508 lower annual net price

Earnings
$54,889
Debt
$28,623
Annual net price
$18,589
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

596 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →