Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at St Olaf College

St. Olaf's Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies program starts graduates at $28,288—below both the state median of $33,000 and the national figure of $31,459. This places it in the 40th percentile among Minnesota programs and just the 28th percentile nationally. The debt load of $23,480 matches the state median but translates to 83 cents of debt for every dollar earned in that challenging first year.

The silver lining here is significant earnings growth: graduates see their income jump 44% to $40,807 by year four, ultimately surpassing even top performers like University of Minnesota-Duluth's first-year mark. That trajectory matters for long-term financial stability, though it requires weathering several lean early years. At a selective liberal arts college with a $1,373 average SAT and just 20% Pell Grant recipients, families are likely paying substantial tuition for that St. Olaf experience.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes may vary considerably. For families who can comfortably absorb the upfront costs and the graduate plans to pursue work where this degree opens doors—nonprofits, education, social services—the four-year earnings picture offers some reassurance. But if financial independence right after graduation is the priority, stronger-earning programs exist both at St. Olaf and elsewhere in Minnesota.