Augustana University
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
10% gap between the two groups
8% gap between the two groups
9% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $18,746 |
| $30k–$48k | $18,895 |
| $48k–$75k | $17,937 |
| $75k–$110k | $24,787 |
| $110k+ | $27,327 |
How Augustana University compares
This college against the South Dakota and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Augustana University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Augustana University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $76,246 | $25,000 | +449% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $68,610 | $24,250 | +317% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $57,981 | $23,448 | +130% | Strong return |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Associate's | $54,693 | — | +103% | Strong return |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Associate's | $55,718 | $24,190 | +89% | Strong return |
| Education, General | Certificate | $63,222 | $15,110 | +80% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $52,014 | $26,625 | +22% | Break-even |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's | $47,658 | $24,625 | -53% | Poor return |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Associate's | $46,871 | $25,550 | -67% | Poor return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $45,200 | $27,000 | -97% | Poor return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Augustana University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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