St. Olaf College

About Us

Founded in 1874 by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants, St. Olaf is a nationally ranked liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Northfield, Minnesota.

St. Olaf College challenges students to excel in the liberal arts, examine faith and values, and explore meaningful vocation in an inclusive, globally engaged community nourished by Lutheran tradition.

Know as ''The Hill,'' St. Olaf College's picturesque 300-care campus is home to 16 academic and administrative buildings, 30 student residences, and 10 athletic facilities. As a residential college, 95 percent of St. Olaf students reside in one of the 11 residence halls and 19 academic and special interest honor houses. Adjacent to campus are 325 acres of restored wetlands, woodlands, and native tall grass prairie owned and maintained by St. Olaf. The college also has a utility-grade wind turbine, and 40 acres of college-owned land are blanketed with solar panels. The college's solar subscriptions, combined with the energy generated by its wind turbine, have enabled St. Olaf to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electrical power.

Historic downtown Northfield, within walking distance of campus, features coffeehouses, sandwich shops, restaurants, gift stores and local art galleries. Northfield is also home to Carleton College, an athletic rival whose campus is just across the Cannon River.

* Nationally ranked liberal arts college
* Located 45 minutes south of Minneapolis/St. Paul in historic Northfield
* Total enrollment of 3,040 students, with 213 full time faculty
* 27 Varsity Teams