Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Sioux City, Iowa
44.4% Acceptance Rate
St Luke's College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
44.4%Acceptance Rate
3.39Avg GPA
980Avg SAT
18Avg ACT
$27,391Annual Cost
$61,033Grad Salary
46.4%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
44.4%
Avg GPA
3.39
Avg SAT
980
Avg ACT
18
Selectivity
Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
940–1010
ACT Middle 50%
16–19
Need-Based Aid
46.4% receive Pell
St Luke's College is a specialized, private institution in Iowa dedicated to nursing and the health sciences. Known for its rigorous, clinically focused curriculum and commitment to patient care, the college provides an intensive and high-quality educational experience. Its strong partnerships with local medical systems ensure that students gain the professional expertise and practical experience needed for success in the demanding field of modern healthcare.
St Luke's College Acceptance Rate
St Luke's College admits roughly 44.4% of its applicant pool, keeping it competitive without being out of reach for a solid student.
What St Luke's College Admissions Looks For
- Test Scores Help: Where submitted, scores near or above the middle 50% strengthen an application.
- Solid, Not Perfect: A GPA trending upward matters more than one that's flat.
Selectivity at a Glance
Selective
Selectivity scale: Selective — 44.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.39 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.19 – 3.38
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.94
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
St Luke's College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at St Luke's College is 3.39. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.09–3.39 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 3.59–3.79.St Luke's College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.39 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.19 – 3.38
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.99 – 3.18
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.98
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Currently in a pending merger with Morningside University; accreditor approval is underway as of 2026 - confirm current status directly before enrolling
- Only hospital-based health sciences college in western Iowa, located on the UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital campus
- Specialty certificates in Sonography, CT, MRI, and Mammography are available as additional credentials stacked after a base Radiologic Technology degree
- Offers a Clinical Pastoral Education Program, an uncommon offering for a small health sciences college
- 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 St Luke's College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on St Luke's College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
St Luke's College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if St Luke's College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into St Luke's College Without SAT or ACT?
St Luke's College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
St Luke's College Average SAT Score: 980
The average SAT score of admitted students at St Luke's College is 980 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 980 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1010 SAT or 19 ACT) to stand out. Below average? St Luke's College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 940, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at St Luke's College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 980 | 940 | 1010 |
Below 940, you're behind most admitted students; at 1010 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1000
Can I get into St Luke's College with a 1000 SAT?
A 1000 SAT puts you ahead of most of St Luke's College's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
St Luke's College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at St Luke's College is 18.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 18 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a real advantage.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 17 | 16 | 18 |
| ACT English | 15 | 13 | 17 |
| ACT Composite | 18 | 16 | 19 |
Can I get into St Luke's College with a 19 ACT?
A 19 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of St Luke's College's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at St Luke's College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for St Luke's College
Selective Strategy: Competitive Positioning
Competitive positioning at St Luke's College means clearing the academic bar comfortably, then using the rest of your application to show genuine fit.
Ask Directly About the Pending Morningside University Merger
St. Luke's College is currently in the process of joining Morningside University, with accreditor approval underway as of 2026 - this is an active, unresolved transition, not settled history. A prospective student should ask admissions directly what this means for their specific program's continuity, tuition rate, and which institution will actually grant their degree by graduation, rather than assuming the current structure will remain unchanged throughout their enrollment.
Leverage the Hospital-Based Structure for Clinical/Hiring Priority
St. Luke's is the only hospital-based health sciences college in western Iowa, operating directly on the UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital campus. A student should ask specifically how this structure affects clinical rotation assignments and hiring priority at UnityPoint facilities after graduation - a genuine, concrete pipeline advantage worth naming directly in "why this school" application materials.
Plan Your Base Program With a Target Specialty Certificate in Mind
Beyond the base Radiologic Technology degree, St. Luke's offers stackable specialty certificates in Sonography, CT, MRI, and Mammography as separate, additional enrollment steps. A student interested in one of these specialties should plan their coursework sequence with the target certificate in mind from the start, and confirm with the program director exactly when they can begin stacking it rather than assuming it's automatically bundled into the base degree.
Ask About the Clinical Pastoral Education Program If Pursuing Chaplaincy
St. Luke's offers a Clinical Pastoral Education Program - an uncommon offering for a small health sciences college. A student interested in hospital chaplaincy or pastoral care should ask specifically about this program's structure and CPE unit accreditation, since it's a genuine niche differentiator not typically found at comparable allied-health colleges.
Expert Insight:
St. Luke's College is in the middle of a pending institutional merger with Morningside University, with accreditor approval still underway as of 2026. Any family evaluating this school should ask directly what happens to their specific program, tuition, and degree-granting institution during and after this transition, since it is an active, unresolved change rather than a finalized merger.
St Luke's College Profile
Full Name
St Luke's College
City
Sioux City
State
Iowa
ZIP Code
51104-0263
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a St Luke's College Degree Worth It?
St Luke's College offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes. The figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $54,800, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.19%.
How much does a degree from St Luke's College Cost?
The sticker price is $27,391/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
46.4% of students receive a Pell Grant and 64.8% take federal loans at St Luke's College. File your FAFSA early and list St Luke's College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a St Luke's College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $61,033. That's about 50% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than St Luke's College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal, AL | 947 | 17 |
| Johnson University Florida | Kissimmee, FL | 940 | NA |
| Warner University | Lake Wales, FL | 937 | 17 |
| Gordon State College | Barnesville, GA | 950 | 18 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary of the Woods, IN | 966 | 17 |
| Baker University | Baldwin City, KS | 950 | 17 |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville, KY | 965 | 18 |
| Grambling State University | Grambling, LA | 955 | 17 |
| Southern University and A & M College | Baton Rouge, LA | 938 | 17 |
| Bowie State University | Bowie, MD | 935 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as St Luke's College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL | 977 | 18 |
| Baptist Health College Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 980 | 20 |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 985 | NA |
| Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 984 | 24 |
| Clayton State University | Morrow, GA | 973 | 18 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than St Luke's College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | 1016 | 20 |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
Degree Programs at St Luke's College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About St Luke's College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at St Luke's College run about $61,033 a year.
At about $27,391 a year, St Luke's College is on the more affordable end.
About 46.4% receive a Pell Grant at St Luke's College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 44.4%, St Luke's College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at St Luke's College average a 3.39 GPA.
St Luke's College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.09 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.99, St Luke's College becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at St Luke's College — aim above 980, ideally within the 940–1010 range admitted students typically fall in.
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.