| Location: | Midwest |
| Setting: | Small Town Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | Evangelical Lutheran Church |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Norse |
Luther College is a private, selective, four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Located in Decorah, Iowa, USA and founded in 1861 by Norwegian immigrants, Luther College today has an enrollment of approximately 2,550 students representing 39 states and 34 countries. The college confers the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors, as well as certificate programs. Luther College ranks as one of only four Phi Beta Kappa institutions in Iowa.
The path to founding Luther College began on October 10, 1857, when the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC) decided to create a college to supply ministers for Norwegian congregations in the Upper Midwest. Until the college was completed, students would study at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. On October 14, 1859, the Rev. Peter Laurentius (Laur.) Larsen was appointed professor to the Norwegian students at Concordia by the NELC.
Upon the closing of the seminary in April 1861, at the start of the Civil War, the NELC decided to open its own college that fall in a former parsonage at Halfway Creek, Wisconsin, just north of La Crosse, Wisconsin and close to present day Holmen, Wisconsin. On September 1, 1861, classes officially began with an enrollment of 16. The following year classes moved to Decorah, Iowa, with NELC Pastor Ulrik Vilhelm Koren successfully arranging the college's relocation and permanent settlement.
It did not take long for Luther to build an exceptional music program. In 1905, Dr. Carlo A. Sperati, an 1888 graduate of Luther, became the music director of the college and developed the Luther College Concert Band, founded in 1878, on the model of the wind ensemble pioneered by John Philip Sousa. Under Sperati, the band undertook several tours of Europe, their first in 1914, earning international acclaim for their musical talent. Sperati remained on the faculty until his death in 1945.
|
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
|
Men vs. Women
|
||||
|
Race/Ethnicity
|
|
In State vs. Out-of-State
|
Top States for Incoming Freshman
|
| Percent of Students International: | 3% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 86% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf) Basketball (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf) Baseball (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf) Track (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 24,570 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,250 | 21% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,401 | 58% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 8,618 | 96% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,762 | 76% | |
Any Aid: |
99% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 75% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 15% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 550, Math: 550 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 670, Math: 670 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 92% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 22, Verbal: 22, Math: 22 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 29, Math: 28 |
| Application Fee: | $ 25.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
