Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota · Private · 1,878 undergraduates · gustavus.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Acceptance rate
61%
of applicants
Annual cost (2027-28)
$78,010Est.Estimate
before aid
Gustavus Adolphus College is test optional for students starting in fall 2027: you choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. Its acceptance rate is 61%. The middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores had ACT scores of 24 to 30. A year in 2027-28 is expected to cost about $78,010 before financial aid.
Updated
Your chances and merit aid at Gustavus Adolphus College
See your chances of admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
61% of applicants admitted
Target
Your ACT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
No estimate
Your cost before merit aid
$78,010
a year in 2027-28, from a $78,010 sticker price
What to do with your 1200
Not enough data to advise
There isn't enough data on this college's freshmen to say whether sending your SAT helps.
Fine-tune this advice
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your GPA, test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Test-Optional Admission Policy - Admission · Checked November 3, 2026
Acceptance rate
61%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
ACT composite 24 to 30
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$78,010
a year
- Tuition$62,610
What families pay after aid
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$12,078
- $30,001 to $48,000$10,743
- $48,001 to $75,000$14,309
- $75,001 to $110,000$20,602
- Over $110,000$33,406
Financial aidEstimate
90%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
100%
of freshmen receive grants
$41,450
average grant to freshmen
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
National Merit Scholarship
Full tuition
National Merit
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
43 of 43
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,260Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | ART-00 (ARTSC) | |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | ART-00 (ARTSC) | |
| African American Studies | 4 | AFS-00 (USIDG) | |
| Art History | 4 | ART-101 (GLAFC) | |
| Biology | 4 | BIO-110 & 111 (NTSCI) | |
| Calculus AB | 4 | MCS 121 (QUANT) | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MCS 122 (QUANT) | |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | MCS-121 (QUANT) | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHE-110 & 111 (NTSCI) | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | MLC-00 (NELC) | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | POL-150 (HBSI) | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | MCS-177 (QUANT) | |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | MCS-00 | |
| Drawing | 4 | ART-110 (ARTSC) | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | ENG-110 (HUMN) | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | ENG-100 (HUMN) | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | ENV-00 | |
| European History | 4 | HIS-120 (HUMN) | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | FRE-202 (GLAFC) (NELC) | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | GER-202 (GLAFC) (NELC) | |
| Human Geography | 4 | GEG-101 (GLAFC) | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | MLC-00 (NELC) | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | JPN-202 (NELC) | |
| Latin | 4 | LAT-201 (GLAFC) (NELC) | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | B/E-00 | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | B/E-00 | |
| Music Aural Subscore | 4 | MUS-00 (ARTSC) | |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 4 | MUS-00 (ARTSC) | |
| Music Theory | 4 | MUS-101 (ARTSC) | |
| Physics 1 | 4 | PHY-120/121 (NTSCI) | |
| Physics 2 | 4 | PHY-170/171 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | PHY-170&171 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | PHY-120&121 (NTSCI) | |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | MCS-00 | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSY-100 (HBSI) | |
| Research | 4 | NDL-00 | |
| Seminar | 4 | ENG-100 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | SPA-00 (NELC) | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | SPA-00 (NELC) | |
| Statistics | 4 | MCS-142 (QUANT) | |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | POL-110 (HBSI) | |
| United States History | 4 | HIS-130 (HUMN) | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | HIS-105 (GLAFC) |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
77%
Come back for a second year
88%
Typical earnings
$67,649
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Gustavus Adolphus College$82,768
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 13 majors here have earnings data.
Common questions about Gustavus Adolphus College
Is Gustavus Adolphus College test optional for fall 2027?
Yes. Gustavus Adolphus College is test optional for students starting in fall 2027: you choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score.
What SAT score do you need to get into Gustavus Adolphus College?
The middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores had ACT scores of 24 to 30. A quarter scored above that range and a quarter below it.
What ACT score do you need to get into Gustavus Adolphus College?
The middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores had ACT scores of 24 to 30. A quarter scored above that range and a quarter below it.
What is the acceptance rate at Gustavus Adolphus College?
The acceptance rate at Gustavus Adolphus College is 61%.
How much does Gustavus Adolphus College cost?
A year at Gustavus Adolphus College in 2027-28 is expected to cost about $78,010 before financial aid. After grants and scholarships, freshmen who got federal aid paid $24,148 a year on average.
Does Gustavus Adolphus College offer merit scholarships?
Yes. Gustavus Adolphus College offers a merit scholarship, the National Merit Scholarship.
Does Gustavus Adolphus College give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Gustavus Adolphus College gives credit for all 43 AP exams it lists. You need a 4 or 5 to earn credit.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Gustavus Adolphus College.