About
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Chicago, Illinois. LSTC is a member of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS), a consortium of eleven area seminaries and theological schools. It shares the JKM Library and portions of its campus with McCormick Theological Seminary. LSTC is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 2 Title IV programs, 0 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 2 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing0 · 0.0%
- No Data2 · 100.0%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Higher Learning Commission
Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
Action history · 5
- Jul 2024Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Jun 2024Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
- Nov 2019Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation RemovedHigher Learning Commission
- Jan 2018Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: ProbationHigher Learning Commission
- Jun 2017Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, students received in Pell grants, alongside $47K in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 52 borrowers who entered repayment, 3 (5.7%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at LSTC
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus1
Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
LSTC vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions LSTC selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectLutheran School of Theology at Chicago | — | — | 101 | — | — |
| — | — | 153 | — | — | |
| — | — | 215 | — | — | |
| — | — | 151 | — | — | |
| — | — | 72 | — | — | |
| — | — | 313 | — | — | |
| — | — | 166 | — | — | |
| — | — | 103 | — | — | |
| — | — | 371 | — | — | |
| — | — | 125 | — | — | |
| Peer group median | — | — | 152 | — |
Institutions like LSTC
Explore the federal data for institutions in LSTC's comparison group.
- Texas
Brite Divinity School
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment153Net price—View data - Illinois
Chicago Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment215Net price—View data - Indiana
Christian Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment151Net price—View data - Missouri
Eden Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment72Net price—View data - Illinois
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment313Net price—View data - Colorado
Iliff School of Theology
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment166Net price—View data - Kentucky
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment103Net price—View data - Minnesota
Luther Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment371Net price—View data - Illinois
McCormick Theological Seminary
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment125Net price—View data
LSTC Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago chooses the following facts to be published to reaffirm the importance of measuring institutional effectiveness.
Visit IR office pageReports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planOn The Way… | 2024-2029 Strategic PlanThe Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago has outlined its strategic plan for 2024 to 2029. This document encapsulates the vision and mission extending over these five years, highlighting key goals for the institution's growth and development. It directs the school's community towards shared objectives by promoting academic excellence, fostering inclusive community practices, and driving sustainable growth.lstc.edu
Notable alumni of LSTC (16)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Herbert W. ChilstromReligion
- Emerson Stephen ColawReligion
- Wendy DeBoerPolitics
- Yehiel CurryReligion
- Sarah Trone GarriottPolitics
- Albert GlockArchaeology
- Philip HefnerTheology
- Christine HelmerTheology
- Carter LindbergTheology
- Agustina Luvis NúñezReligion
- Ian A. McFarlandTheology
- Ronald A. SellReligion
Frequently asked questions about Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about LSTC.
How many students attend Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago?
Where is Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago located?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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