
New Ulm, MNprivate nonprofitwww.mlc-wels.edu/
Admit rate has ranged 83%–91% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Martin Luther College (MLC) is a small, church-affiliated liberal arts college in New Ulm, Minnesota, with a laser focus on training teachers and ministers for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). With an 87% acceptance rate and a tight-knit campus where nearly every student participates in co-curriculars, MLC offers a no-frills, faith-centered education—think required chapel services, a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, and a curriculum where elementary education and religious vocations dominate the majors list. Its graduates earn modest salaries but benefit from strong job placement within the WELS network.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Martin Luther College is decidedly not a selective school, with an 87% acceptance rate—a figure consistently reported across multiple sources. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1118–1243 on the SAT or 22–28 on the ACT, though the college explicitly states a floor of ACT 20 or SAT 1030–1050 for consideration. Notably, 772 students were enrolled as of the most recent data, with a gender split of 46.4% male to 53.6% female. The admissions process appears straightforward, with no mention of Early Decision or other specialized pathways.
MLC’s academic offerings are hyper-focused on church and school vocations, with elementary education (66 graduates) and religious vocations (46 graduates) dominating the majors list. The college awards a Bachelor of Science in Education almost exclusively, with programs in early childhood, middle/secondary education, and parish music rounding out the curriculum. A preseminary program feeds directly into WELS ministry roles. The structure is rigid: 38 credits of general education, 36 in professional education, and 28 in 'other requirements' (likely theology-heavy). Class sizes are small, with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, though there’s no mention of graduate programs or research opportunities.
Life at MLC revolves around faith and community. Co-curriculars are ubiquitous—‘almost every student’ joins a club, team, or music group, with annual events and chapel services structuring the calendar. The campus is safe and insular, with students reporting minimal crime and a visible security presence. Instagram posts show admissions groups from Lutheran high schools touring, hinting at a pipeline from WELS-affiliated prep schools. With 743 undergraduates (fall 2023), the vibe is intimate but potentially homogeneous; the Cultural Engagement Center is the only nod to diversity programming.
MLC graduates 74% of students within 4.4 years—a solid rate for a small religious college. Early-career earnings are modest ($29,000 median), though 68% outearn high school grads. The college touts a 94% financial aid receipt rate for students, with many likely entering WELS-affiliated teaching or ministry roles (specific placement data isn’t public). Notably, Money Magazine ranked MLC #1 in Minnesota for ‘best college for your money’ in 2024, praising its aid packages for low-income students.
The net price after aid is $21,072, with 78% of students receiving assistance (average package: $17,408). Institutional grants average $7,429, and Pell Grants $4,807. The Financial Aid Office emphasizes personalized estimates via a Net Price Calculator, though the ‘shopping sheet’ tool lacks SAI (Student Aid Index) specifics. For context, MLC’s annual expenditure is $24.7M, with 39.2% ($9.67M) going to salaries—suggesting lean operations typical of a small denominational school.
MLC is unapologetically niche: a feeder school for WELS churches and schools, where elementary ed and theology majors dominate and chapel isn’t optional. Its 87% acceptance rate and strong retention (72% grad rate) reflect a mission-matched student body. The college punches above its weight in financial aid accessibility (94% receive grants), and its tiny size (743 undergrads) ensures everyone knows your name—and your pastor. If you’re WELS-bound, it’s the only choice; for others, it’s likely off the radar.