Statistics at Gustavus Adolphus College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 suggests this statistics program could represent a manageable investment, though the limited graduate sample means these figures come from peer institutions rather than Gustavus Adolphus's own outcomes. Based on national medians for bachelor's-level statistics programs, first-year earnings around $59,700 would place graduates in a position to handle estimated debt of roughly $16,900—that's less than a third of first-year income, well below the threshold where loan payments typically become burdensome. The national debt benchmark is actually higher at $20,150, suggesting Gustavus may keep borrowing relatively contained even if actual outcomes vary from these estimates.

Minnesota's statistics programs show considerable range in early outcomes. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports first-year earnings of $66,400, while UMN-Duluth comes in at $56,400—a $10,000 spread that illustrates how much variation exists even within the state. Gustavus's estimated figures fall between these two, closer to the statewide median of $61,400. For a selective liberal arts college (average SAT of 1320), the question becomes whether the smaller class sizes and undergraduate focus translate into outcomes that justify choosing it over larger universities with established data.

The core challenge here is uncertainty. With too few graduates to generate reported data, you're banking on Gustavus delivering results similar to other statistics programs nationally. If your child thrives in smaller settings and the college's career services actively place graduates in data analytics roles, the financial fundamentals look reasonable—but you're making that bet without program-specific evidence.