St. Olaf College

• With so many great liberal arts colleges, how do you choose? What makes St. Olaf stand apart? We think it’s this: St. Olaf doesn’t produce ordinary college grads. It turns out Oles (oh-lees). Oles are the people that companies want, because they know how to get stuff done. They think harder, approach problems differently, persevere with enthusiasm. Oles are born of St. Olaf’s intense academic program—an academic program that hones minds, while its emphasis on global engagement helps broadens perspectives. Oles aren’t necessarily religious, but our religious tradition encourages deep self-reflection. Most important, perhaps, is the Ole community—a vibrant community that accepts, supports and encourages, generating lifelong friendships and invaluable business connections. Today more than ever, the world needs idealistic, tireless problem solvers. In other words, Oles.
• St. Olaf students and faculty are increasingly diverse in background and outlook, reflecting the changing demographics of the 21st century, the dynamic impact of the world’s great religious traditions, and the new frontiers of human knowledge. The college’s academic program engages students in a wide range of high-impact educational experiences in and beyond the classroom, including hands-on student-faculty research, internships, volunteer service and civic engagement, study abroad, and special cohort-based learning communities such as the college’s signature Conversation programs.
• The combination of strong majors, a broad curriculum, and extensive programs to link learning to “real-world” experiences, means a St. Olaf education prepares students to graduate with clear direction and a sense of purpose.

Located in Northfield, Minnesota, a two-college town of 20,000 people just 35 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Olaf has one of the most beautiful and well-equipped campuses in the country. The quality and careful maintenance of the facilities reflects a culture of stewardship that extends beyond the 300-acre campus to the management of the college’s 325 acres of surrounding natural lands. Prairie restoration, wetlands and a student-run organic farm provide living opportunities for hands-on research in a variety of disciplines.

Facilities
In recent years, the college has made substantial investments in new, enhanced, or renovated buildings and equipment providing state-of-the-art facilities for all aspects of campus life and learning.

• Center for Art and Dance and the Hall of Music provide the core of a campus arts quadrant, in which interdisciplinary creative work thrives. St. Olaf’s renowned music programs are complemented by equally strong programs in theater, dance, and art.
• Tostrud/Skoglund athletic complex provides recreation and fitness facilities for the entire campus community. It is an important focal point of student life.
• Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences is a state-of-the-art, 200,000 square foot building housing the college’s interdisciplinary science programs.
• Tomson Hall is the home of the college’s language programs, study abroad programs, and a wide range of student support services.
• A recent renovation of Old Main and Boe Memorial Chapel have provided much-needed space to house programs serving a religiously diverse student community actively engaged in social justice issues and programs.

Academic Reach
St. Olaf provides a first-rate educational foundation for students intending to pursue Ph.D. degrees in a wide range of fields. The National Science Foundation ranks St. Olaf 8th overall among 263 baccalaureate colleges in the number of graduates who earn doctoral degrees. St. Olaf is in the top 10 in:

• arts and music
• biological science
• chemistry
• education
• foreign languages
• life science
• mathematics and computer science
• mathematics and statistics
• medical sciences
• physical sciences
• religion and theology
• social service professions

Over 200 Oles have received Fulbright awards, 35 Oles since 1997 have received Goldwater awards, and 9 Oles have been Rhodes Scholars. St. Olaf was recognized as a top producer of Fulbright U.S. students in 2024.

-St. Olaf College ranked No. 4 among all baccalaureate colleges across the country in the number of students who studied abroad during the 2022–23 academic year, according to the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Educational Exchange.

The Institute of International Education ranks St. Olaf as the leading U.S. Bachelor of Arts institution in the number of students who study abroad.

St. Olaf consistently ranks among the leading colleges in the number of Peace Corps volunteers, and in 2024 was ranked third as a Top Volunteer Producing College. Since the Peace Corps was founded in 1961, over 480 St. Olaf alumni have served. The college has a similar record of success placing students in other volunteer organizations like the Lutheran Volunteer Corps and Teach for America

The college’s budget reflects its priorities: approximately half is spent directly on teaching, instruction, and academic and student support; a further 30% is spent on need-based financial aid and scholarships.

• All classes at St. Olaf are taught by faculty; there are no graduate students or TAs. St. Olaf professors take great pride in their teaching.
• 94% of the full-time faculty holds the most advanced degree in their fields.
• St. Olaf offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in more than 45 majors, more than 20 academic concentrations, and nearly two dozen pre-professional programs.
• About one-third of recent graduates have earned double- or triple-majors, often pursuing interests in wildly different disciplines: art and physics, music and mathematics, biology and religion, or philosophy and management studies.
• A 4-1-4 academic calendar provides students with a January Interim term during which to explore a single subject, or take part in domestic or international off-campus study.
• Over 60% of recent St. Olaf grads participated in a study abroad/away program, either within the U.S. or on one of the programs offered in 35 countries.

Majors
Africa/African Diaspora *
Anthropology
Art (Studio)
Art History
Asian Studies
Biology
Biomolecular Science *
Chemistry
Chinese
Classics
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Dance
Economics
Education
Engineering Studies
English
Environmental Studies *
Ethnic Studies
Family Studies *
Film & Media Studies*
Finance (Management Studies *)
French
Gender and Sexuality Studies *
German
German Studies *
Greek
History
Individual Major
International Relations
Japanese
Kinesiology
Latin
Latin American Studies *
Linguistic Studies *
Management Studies *
Mathematical Biology *
Mathematics
Medieval Studies
Middle Eastern Studies *
Music
Neuroscience *
Nordic Studies *
Norwegian
Nursing
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Quantitative Economics
Race and Ethnic Studies
Religion
Russian
Russian Area Studies
Social Studies Education
Social Work
Sociology
Spanish
Statistics and Data Science *
Theater

Pre-Professional Tracks
Accounting
Architecture
Business and Management
Computer Engineering and Software Engineering
Dentistry
Education (Teaching Certification)
Health Studies
Information Technology and Information Systems
Journalism
Law
Medicine
Occupational Therapy
Performing Arts
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy
Public Policy
Teaching Certification
Theology and Seminary
Veterinary Medicine

So much of student life at St. Olaf centers around the fact that Oles live, learn, and play together. The campus, the curriculum, and the extracurricular programs are designed to connect people and build friendships that last.

• Nearly every student lives on campus in one of 12 residence halls or 14 townhouses. Students dine in one main campus dining facility, Stav Hall.
• St. Olaf is consistently ranked as having some of the best college food in the nation, including locally sourced food from nearby farms or from the student-run STOGROW organic farm.
• More than 200 student organizations cover sports, politics, religion, service, academics, and social activities for almost any interest.
• NCAA Division III, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: 26 men’s and women’s varsity sports. More than a dozen club sports club sports including Cycling (Co-ed), Hockey (Men), Lacrosse (Men and Women), Rowing (Co-ed), Rugby (Men and Women), Triathlon (Co-ed), Ultimate (Men and Women), and Volleyball (Men).
• Dozens of intramural sports also provide recreation, fitness, and fun for student-athletes at all levels of competition.
• Music programs involve almost a third of the student body. Two orchestras, two bands, eight choirs, three jazz bands, and other ensembles offer performance opportunities to music majors and non-majors alike.

26 varsity teams in the NCAA Division III, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference:

Alpine Skiing (Men and Women)
Baseball (Men)
Basketball (Men and Women)
Cross Country (Men and Women)
Football (Men)
Golf (Men and Women)
Hockey (Men and Women)
Nordic Skiing (Men and Women)
Soccer (Men and Women)
Softball (Women)
Swimming and Diving (Men and Women)
Tennis (Men and Women)
Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor, Men and Women)
Volleyball (Women)

Beyond a great education, St. Olaf provides one-on-one career coaching and peer advising in addition to a variety of support throughout students’ four years. 5,000+ experiential learning opportunities exist every year for students to test out opportunities and learn new skills.

St. Olaf Orientation to Academics and Resources (SOAR) provides an extended orientation for students in their first year to intentionally foster peer connections and equip them with the knowledge, skills, and resources to be successful at St. Olaf.

The Piper Center for Vocation and Career is a powerful tool for developing strong links between academics and experiences: career planning, coaching, internships and research, and networking with St. Olaf alumni across the country and around the world.

The First Destination summary report shows the percentage of recent graduates who are employed or engaged in full-time service, the percentage who have gone on to graduate or professional school, and the percentage who are engaged in other pursuits. The report also identifies the top employers of our graduates, and the graduate and professional schools where they are pursuing M.D.s, law degrees, M.A.s and Ph.D.s. Learn more about our graduate outcomes.

95% of Oles are employed, in full-time service projects or graduate school within 9 months after graduation. Even better, 87% of Ole alums report finding satisfying jobs that leverage the skills they developed at St. Olaf.

Of the entering first year class for Fall 2024:

• 859 new, full-time students, of whom approximately 22% are U.S. students of color and 10% are international students.
• 22% are first-generation college students.
• 38% of students submitted optional test scores.
• The median composite ACT score was 30.
• The median composite SAT score was 1410.
• The average unweighted GPA was 3.73.
• Students enrolled from 40 states, the District of Columbia, and 66 countries.
• There were 6,623 total applications, and the acceptance rate was 48.3%.