Anna Maria College
Paxton, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 50.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 28/100 · Poor Value
Anna Maria College earns an ROI score of 28 and lands in our Poor Value tier, driven by a poor combination of high cost and weak institution-wide earnings. Sticker tuition runs $44,571 -- expensive for a small Massachusetts private -- and the average net price is $28,333, putting four-year total cost above $113,000. Median earnings six years after entry are only $38,000, climbing to $46,651 by year ten, which is well below the price point. The result is a 21.7-year payback period and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.658 on $25,000 of median debt. The 46.2% completion rate is the most concerning single number; fewer than half of students finish, and those who leave without a credential carry debt with no degree premium. Repayment rates hover near 71%, slightly below national averages. The lone bright spot is a strong vocational set -- fire protection, criminal justice, and nursing -- where program-level outcomes shine. Outside those tracks the price-to-earnings math is unfavorable, which is why the composite score sits in the bottom quartile nationally.
The data raises concerns about Anna Maria College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score28/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period21.7 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Anna Maria College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,571/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,571/yr |
| Average net price | $28,333/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $113,332 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,651 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 21.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 906 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Anna Maria College is $44,571/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $28,333/year, or roughly $113,332 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $25,554/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,305/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $265 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $46,651 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.66 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $25,554 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,373 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,366 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,627 |
| $110,001+ | $33,305 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $25,554 on net, with the $30,001-$48,000 bracket dipping slightly to $24,373. Those are still high totals for low-income households -- roughly $100,000 over four years. Combined with a 46.2% completion rate, low-income students face significant risk of leaving with debt and no degree. Public-safety and nursing tracks justify the math; general majors do not.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets see relatively flat pricing: $25,366 in the $48,001-$75,000 tier and $27,627 in the $75,001-$110,000 tier. The aid curve is unusually compressed across income levels, which often signals limited merit aid headroom. With median earnings under $40,000 at year six, middle-income families pay close to sticker for outcomes that lag the broader Massachusetts private market.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $33,305 net -- a $5,700 jump from the prior bracket but still well below the $44,571 sticker. At this tier the relative value is actually slightly better than the lower brackets because the high-earner discount is small. Still, for $133,000 over four years, high-income families should weigh whether Massachusetts state universities or in-region Catholic competitors offer comparable career outcomes for substantially less.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Anna Maria College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Protection | $110,044 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $76,013 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $88,554 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $56,774 | C+ |
| Social Work | $61,652 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Fire Protection
Fire Protection is Anna Maria's standout program. With 58 graduates -- the largest cohort on campus -- a $81,637 first-year median salary, and $22,875 in median debt, the debt-to-earnings ratio is just 0.28 and the program earns a B+. By year four, earnings climb to $110,044. The pipeline into Massachusetts fire departments, where civil-service union pay is strong, is the entire reason this program works financially.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 47 graduates with year-four earnings of $76,013 against $27,000 in median debt, yielding a 0.355 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. Like fire protection, the program leverages Massachusetts public-sector pay scales (state troopers, corrections officers, probation). Graduates who land municipal or state positions see strong career economics; those who pursue private security see weaker numbers.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produces 37 graduates with $75,045 first-year earnings and $88,554 by year four. Median debt is the highest on campus at $30,954, but the 0.412 debt-to-earnings ratio still earns a B grade. Massachusetts nurse pay supports the cost, and the clinical placements feed regional hospital networks. A solid choice, though the higher debt burden compared to fire protection means less margin for error.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business admin has 37 graduates and a $56,774 year-four earnings figure against $25,575 in debt, for a 0.45 ratio and a C+ grade. This is the weakest of the major tracks at Anna Maria -- earnings are decent in absolute terms but the cost-to-outcome gap is wider than the vocational programs. Students choosing business should be confident they will complete and have a clear post-grad employer in mind.
Social Work
Social Work is small (9 graduates) but financially workable: $61,652 year-four earnings against $27,000 in debt produce a 0.438 ratio and a B grade. Year-one earnings are not reported. The Massachusetts licensure pipeline supports decent pay, particularly for clinically licensed positions, but the small cohort size means students should expect a tight-knit but resource-limited program.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 50.3% |
| Enrollment | 906 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,264 |
Anna Maria admits about 50.3% of applicants, making it moderately selective on paper. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, suggesting the school is largely test-optional and that scored applicants are too few to publish. With a 46.2% completion rate, selectivity here does not translate into strong persistence, which often signals an academically heterogeneous incoming class. Prepared students who choose Anna Maria typically come for the public-safety, nursing, or athletic programs rather than for academic rigor signals.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The named peer set is unusually heterogeneous. American International College in Springfield is the closest functional comparison -- similar small Massachusetts private with modest selectivity and comparable middling ROI. Amherst College is an outlier; it costs more but produces dramatically stronger earnings and completion outcomes, so it should not be read as a real peer financially. Mary Baldwin University in Virginia is another small private with weak ROI metrics in the same range. Hallmark University and Be'er Yaakov are highly specialized programs that complicate the comparison. Versus the realistic peer set (AIC, Mary Baldwin), Anna Maria's 28 ROI score is at or below average and the 21.7-year payback is among the longest.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Maria College (this school) | 28 | $28,333 | $46,651 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Hallmark University | 24 | $12,513 | $40,183 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is just 906, with a 34.3% Pell rate -- a small, working-class-leaning student body drawn primarily from central Massachusetts. The school's identity is rooted in public-safety and human-service careers, and the data backs that up: fire protection graduates earn $81,637 in their first year, and criminal justice and nursing both clear $75,000. Students who arrive committed to those tracks see real ROI. Students who enroll undecided or pursue general business or social work face longer odds, especially given the sub-50% completion rate.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Anna Maria College. With a net cost of $28,333 per year and median graduate earnings of only $46,651 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 21.7 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 46.2% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 against $46,651 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.