Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Dubuque, Iowa
91.8% Acceptance Rate
Loras College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
91.8%Acceptance Rate
3.48Avg GPA
$48,380Annual Cost
$58,289Grad Salary
25.3%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
91.8%
Avg GPA
3.48
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Need-Based Aid
25.3% receive Pell
Loras College (IA) is a private, Catholic liberal arts college focused on mentorship and professional preparation. Admissions are holistic, valuing academic rigor, leadership, and community involvement. They seek students who are ready to engage in a community that integrates academic excellence with moral and ethical responsibility.
Loras College Acceptance Rate
Loras College runs an open-access admission policy — with a 91.8% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 91.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.48 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.28 – 3.47
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.03
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Loras College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Loras College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Loras College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority scholarship: 2026/02/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Loras College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Loras College is 3.48. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.18–3.48 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.68–3.88.Loras College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.48 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.28 – 3.47
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.08 – 3.27
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.07
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Loras automatically awards merit scholarships on a GPA-tiered scale at admission: St. Joseph Scholarship (4.0+ GPA, $26,000), St. Bernard (3.80-3.99, $25,000), St. Raphael (3.40-3.79, $24,000), St. Clare (3.00-3.39, $23,000), and Loras Opportunity Grant (below 3.00, $22,000).
- The Loras Promise (launched fall 2024) provides full tuition coverage as a last-dollar scholarship for Iowa residents eligible for both the Pell Grant and Iowa Tuition Grant; qualifying students are not required to live on campus.
- All first-year students must complete a mandatory three-week January Term (J-Term) experiential learning course.
- Loras hosts St. Pius X Seminary (Archdiocese of Dubuque) for men discerning the priesthood, and runs the Children of Abraham interfaith program; founded in 1839, it is the oldest post-secondary institution in Iowa.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Loras College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Loras College's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Loras College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Loras College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Loras College Without SAT or ACT?
Loras College neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Loras College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Loras College provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about using available resources well and planning your longer-term academic or career path.
Know the exact GPA-tiered automatic merit scholarship chart before applying
Loras awards merit scholarships automatically at admission on a published, tiered GPA scale: 4.0+ earns the St. Joseph Scholarship ($26,000/year), 3.80-3.99 earns the St. Bernard Scholarship ($25,000), 3.40-3.79 earns the St. Raphael Scholarship ($24,000), 3.00-3.39 earns the St. Clare Scholarship ($23,000), and below 3.00 still earns the Loras Opportunity Grant ($22,000). A borderline student should confirm how their specific high school's weighted GPA converts to Loras's 4.0 scale before assuming a particular tier.
Check eligibility for the Loras Promise - full tuition for Iowa residents receiving both the Pell Grant and Iowa Tuition Grant
Launched with the 2024 incoming class, the Loras Promise meets full tuition costs (as a last-dollar scholarship) for any Iowa resident who qualifies for both the Pell Grant and Iowa Tuition Grant via FAFSA - stacked on top of the automatic merit scholarship - and qualifying students are not required to live on campus. File the FAFSA specifically to check eligibility before assuming Loras is unaffordable.
Plan around the mandatory three-week January Term (J-Term) - it's a graduation requirement, not an elective
All first-year students must complete a J-Term, a required three-week experiential learning course between fall and spring semesters - meaning calendar planning (holiday travel, part-time work schedules) needs to account for this block, since it's baked into every student's academic calendar rather than optional enrichment.
Consider St. Pius X Seminary if discerning the priesthood, or the Children of Abraham program for interfaith engagement
Loras hosts St. Pius X Seminary on campus, operated by the Archdiocese of Dubuque for men preparing for Major Seminary and eventual priesthood - genuinely distinctive for a student discerning a religious vocation. Separately, Loras's Children of Abraham program brings Christian, Muslim, and Jewish community members together for interfaith conversation, worth referencing regardless of the applicant's own faith background.
Expert Insight:
Don't assume Loras's Catholic identity or seminary presence means the broader student experience is narrowly religious - Loras is fully coeducational and enrolls students of many faiths, with programs like Children of Abraham explicitly built for interfaith engagement - but still have a direct conversation with admissions about the specific role campus religious life plays day-to-day, rather than assuming from the Catholic affiliation alone.
Loras College Profile
Full Name
Loras College
City
Dubuque
State
Iowa
ZIP Code
52004-0178
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Loras College Degree Worth It?
At $48,380/year against a $58,289 median graduate salary, Loras College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $66,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.66%.
How much does a degree from Loras College Cost?
The sticker price is $48,380/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
25.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 59.3% take federal loans at Loras College — file your FAFSA early and list Loras College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Loras College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $58,289 — about 44% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Loras College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Loras College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Loras College run about $58,289 a year.
Loras College costs roughly $48,380 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 25.3% receive a Pell Grant at Loras College — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 91.8%, Loras College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Loras College average a 3.48 GPA.
Loras College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.18 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.08, Loras College becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
Loras College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority scholarship: 2026/02/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.