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The College of St. Scholastica

The Return on Investing in a
St. Scholastica Education

Our undergraduate students leave with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed, both as employees and responsible citizens. Grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation, they are prepared to think critically and respond to a changing world.

St. Scholastica’s rigorous academics engage all students in meaningful educational experiences in and outside the classrooms, from firsthand undergraduate research and internships to study abroad and volunteer opportunities.

Ranked

We invite you to learn about the benefits of a St. Scholastica education. Please take time to review our rankings and evaluate our numbers.

Programs Among Nation’s Best

  • Best Graduate Schools by U.S. News & World Report. Graduate programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy and social work ranked among leading graduate school programs across the nation
  • Best Online Education Programs by U.S. News & World Report. At no. 35, the Master of Education program ranked highest among all Minnesota and Wisconsin schools and in the top 25% of schools nationwide
  • Best Master’s Degrees in Health Information Management by Best Accredited Colleges. St. Scholastica is considered one of the top schools in the nation and the top private school in Minnesota to earn this recognition.

Launching Lives of Meaningful Work

In short, St. Scholastica graduates do meaningful things. Like launch an AIDS outreach program in Africa. Or lead an executive team at Target Corp. Or manage a nationally recognized program for people with heart failure.

Our students leave St. Scholastica with more than a degree; they leave with the shared responsibility to create, support and inspire communities.

Within Six Months of Graduation

First Destination Survey (FDS)

The FDS respondents reported a 98% rate of either employment, continuing education, or military and volunteer service within 6 months of graduation. The information below covers alumni with a bachelor-level standing from all St. Scholastica sites and delivery methods in the 2022-2023 academic year. The calculation excludes those who reported not seeking at this time.

The survey was sent out to 643 alumni. A knowledge rate of 61.1% is calculated based on 393 responses, defined as reasonable and verifiable information concerning the graduates discovered through surveys, LinkedIn, faculty, staff and fellow students.

Survey Responses
Category Number Percentage
Employed 290 73.8%
Continuing Education 93 23.7%
Military Service 1 0.25%
Volunteering 1 0.25%
Still Looking 8 2.0%
Not Seeking 0 0%
Grand Total 393 100%

Where Do Saints Go?

Our graduates can be found doing meaningful work all around the nation from Washington D.C. and New York, to Duluth and the Twin Cities and around the world.

  • 3M
  • ALLETE
  • Allina Health
  • Alomere Health
  • American Diabetes Association
  • American Family Insurance
  • Apple
  • Arc Northland
  • Augsburg Fairview Academy
  • The Bhutan Foundation
  • Catholic Charities
  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  • CentraCare Health System, Inc.
  • Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
  • Churches United in Ministry (CHUM)
  • Citon Computer Corp
  • CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
  • Community Memorial Hospital
  • The Conservation Corps
  • Delta Air Lines, Inc.
  • Digi-Key Electronics
  • Ernst & Young
  • Essentia Health
  • Fairview Health Services
  • Fond du Lac Human Services Division
  • Garven Design Group
  • Glencoe Regional Health Services
  • Hamlin Music Academy
  • Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
  • Human Development Center
  • Laura MacArthur Elementary School
  • Lucid Software
  • Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Melhus Management
  • Minnesota House of Representatives
  • The MENTOR Network
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Nystrom & Associates, Ltd.
  • North Star Academy
  • North Memorial Health
  • Northwood Children’s Services
  • Office of Comptroller of the Currency
  • RBC Wealth Management
  • Regions Hospital
  • Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center
  • Sanford Health
  • Securian Financial Group
  • Tri-City United Public Schools
  • United International College, China
  • University of Minnesota Medical Center
  • U.S. Biathlon National Development Team
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Volunteers of America
  • V.A. Health Care System
  • Xcel Energy
  • Zeitgeist Arts

Graduation, Retention and Exam Rates

These graduation and retention rates show the percentage of undergraduate traditional, non-traditional and graduate students during a time period and by program. And, the exam pass rates showcase the percentage of licensure pass rates broken out by their corresponding population and program.

Undergraduate Traditional Students

Retention Rates

The retention rate shows the percentage of bachelor-seeking students by program.

Retention Rate by Program
Program Retention
Biology (BA) 85.6%
Business Management (BA) 75.8%
Computer Information Systems (BS) 90.0%
Exercise Physiology (BS) 81.0%
Finance (BS) 87.5%
Psychology (BA) 83.9%

*Retention rates are defined as our fall 2021 bachelor-seeking program populations and if they retained in the fall of 2022. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our traditional majors.

Fall to Fall Retention Rate for First-Time, Degree-Seeking Students

The retention rate is the percent of first-year students who returned the next fall for their sophomore year.

Fall to Fall Retention Rate for First-Time, Degree-Seeking Students.

* The average retention rate for the fall 2020 cohort at Minnesota and Wisconsin postsecondary institutions was 76.3%. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Fall Enrollment component.

Graduation Rates

Graduation rates show the number of first-time students who graduated from a particular program.

Graduation Rate by Program
Program Rate
Biochemistry (BS) 92.9%
Computer Information Systems (BS) 93.3%
Elementary Education (BS) 91.3%
Psychology (BA) 73.6%

*Traditional 6-year program graduation rates are calculated using our Fall 2016 cohort of new first-year students with a completion deadline of August 31st, 2022. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our traditional majors.

Graduation rates show the number of students who graduate within a certain time period from when they start. Our four-year graduation rate is higher than public colleges and universities in Minnesota and on par with peer private colleges and universities throughout the state. Our six-year graduation rate is also above average.

Graduation rates chart

Graduation Rate Comparison

*The average six-year graduation rate for the 2015 cohort at Minnesota and Wisconsin postsecondary institutions was 66.3%. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Graduation Rates component.

Licensure Exam Pass Rates

Pass Rate by Program
Program Year Rate

Elementary Education – Content (BS)

2021

98.4%

Registered Nursing*

2021

80.5%

Secondary Education – Content (BA/BS)

2021

95.0%

Social Work

2021

63.0%

*Registered Nursing exam rates include both traditional and non-traditional undergraduate nursing students. The rate is calculated based on public information made available to the institution. Note that this is not a complete listing of our licensure exam pass rates for traditional students.

Non-Traditional Undergraduate Students

Retention Rates

The retention rate shows the percentage of non-traditional undergraduate students by program.

Retention Rate by Program
Program Retention
Accounting (BA) 83.3%
Business Management (BA) 90.0%
Elementary Education (BS) 80.0%
Health Informatics and Information Management (BS) 86.5%

*Retention rates are defined as our Fall 2021 semester of students and retainment at any time in either of the two subsequent semesters. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our non-traditional majors.

Graduation Rates

Graduation rates show the number of non-traditional undergraduate students who graduated from a particular program.

Graduation Rate by Program
Program Rate
Elementary Education (BS) 72.7%
Organizational Leadership (BA) 67.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Nursing 97.0%
RN to BS in Nursing 84.6%
Social Work (BA) 86.6%

*Non-traditional 6-year program graduation rates are calculated using our 2015-2016 academic year of students with a completion deadline of 18 semesters from the start of their program. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our non-traditional majors.

Licensure Exam Pass Rates

Pass Rate by Program
Program Year Rate

Elementary Education – Content (BS)

2021

98.4%

Registered Nursing*

2021

80.49%

Secondary Education – Content (BA/BS)

2021

95.0%

Social Work (BA)

2021

63.0%

*Registered Nursing exam rates include both traditional and non-traditional undergraduate nursing students. The rate is calculated based on public information made available to the institution. Note that this is not a complete listing of our licensure exam pass rates for non-traditional undergraduate students.

Graduate and Doctoral Students

Retention Rates

The retention rate shows the percentage of graduate and doctoral students by program.

Retention Rate by Program
Program Retention
Athletic Training (MS) 100%
Doctor of Nursing Practice (BS to DNP) 98.2%
Master of Social Work 95.0%
Physical Therapy (DPT) 100%

*Retention rates are defined as our Fall 2021 semester of students and retainment at any time in either of the two subsequent semesters. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our graduate majors.

Graduation Rates

Graduation rates show the number of graduate students who graduated from a particular program.

Graduation Rate by Program
Program Rate
Exercise Physiology (MS) 92.9%
Master of Education 93.9%
Physical Therapy (DPT) 97.9%
Teaching (MS) 98.2%

*Graduate 4-year program graduation rates are calculated using our 2017-2018 academic year of students with a completion deadline of 12 semesters from the start of their program. Note that this is not a complete listing of programs but a variety of our graduate majors.

Licensure Exam Pass Rates

Pass Rate by Program
Program Year Rate

Athletic Training (MS)

2021

75.0%

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate

2021

92.3%

Graduate Teaching Licensure – Elementary Ed (Content)

2021

99.0%

Graduate Teaching Licensure – Secondary Ed (Content)

2021

98.0%

Graduate Special Education Licensure

2021

100%

Literacy Instruction (Certificate)

2021

100%

Master of Social Work

2021

91.0%

Occupational Therapy (MS)

2021

100%

PA Medicine

2021

100%

Physical Therapy (DPT)

2021

100%

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate

2021

100%

The rate is calculated based on public information made available to the institution. Note that this is not a complete listing of our licensure exam pass rates for graduate and doctoral students.

Undergraduate Experience

At St. Scholastica, we understand the college experience is more than just what happens in the classroom. It’s everything that goes into preparing you for a life of purpose and meaningful work.

Academic Rigor

At St. Scholastica, challenging academics is crucial to the college experience. We inspire student success by stressing the importance of academic effort and establishing high expectations for student performance.

Real-World Learning

More than 90% of first-year students participate in high-impact practices, such as service-learning, a learning community or research with faculty. Plus, the campus boasts a newly renovated, state-of-the-art science center with 13 labs and one of the nation’s few undergraduate donor body anatomy labs.

First-Year HIPS chart

Catholic Benedictine Heritage

The St. Scholastica experience is distinguished by the school’s Catholic Benedictine ethos, or animating spirit. Students experience this in the customs, practices and aspirations of campus life.

The Catholic Social Teaching in Action

St. Scholastica’s campus culture offers year-round opportunities for putting Catholic social teaching into action. Examples include:

  • Twice-yearly Community Days, when students volunteer throughout the Duluth-Superior area
  • The Twin Ports Thanksgiving Buffet and Thanksgiving in the Spring, when students, faculty and staff serve thousands of meals to those in need
  • Alternative spring break trips to serve people who are disadvantaged and learn to recognize structural inequality and injustice
  • Some academic programs have built-in community outreach components such as the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Clinics that serve uninsured and under-insured people, and Social Work students’ efforts along the Mexico border to learn about immigration and migrant border issues

Education Abroad

Every year, nearly 10 percent of undergraduate students participate in St. Scholastica’s more than 10 education abroad programs. The college is a member of the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA), which gives students the opportunity to travel to almost any country in the world.