College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit · 91.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 66/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
College of Saint Benedict (CSB) scores 66 (Fair Value). Average 6-year earnings of $42,300 and an 8.7-year payback period are weak against a four-year cost of $106,560. The 77.1% completion rate is a genuine strength - well above average. CSB's standout sub-score is repayment rate at 93%, meaning graduates who borrow manage their debt consistently well. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.637 (score 42) is the weakest link, driven by a high sticker price and moderate median earnings.
College of Saint Benedict
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $55,756/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $55,756/yr |
| Average net price | $26,640/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,560 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,260 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,944 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 77.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,370 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $55,756/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $26,640/year, or roughly $106,560 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $12,981/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,660/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,944, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,300) and comes to 0.64, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $12,981 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,791 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,378 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,039 |
| $110,001+ | $33,660 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (0-$30,000) pay $12,981 per year at CSB - $51,924 over four years. Against $42,300 average 6-year earnings and an 8.7-year payback, the case is marginal even at this net price. However, CSB's 93% repayment rate and 77.1% completion rate suggest that students who enroll and complete do manage their debt.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $20,378 per year ($81,512 over four years) and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $24,039 per year ($96,156 over four years). At these net prices, the payback against $42,300 average earnings extends to 10-12 years for average earners. Middle-income families benefit from CSB's strong completion rate, but the high cost for mid-program earners makes this a difficult financial case without a clear nursing or accounting track.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000+) pay $33,660 per year - $134,640 over four years - approaching the full sticker cost. CSB's Catholic mission, small residential community, and coordinate structure with Saint John's are real differentiators that may justify the premium for families who prioritize that environment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at College of Saint Benedict with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $84,492 | B |
| Biology | $60,050 | D |
| Psychology | $57,475 | C |
| Teacher Education | $51,487 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $64,430 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $78,901 | C+ |
| International Relations | $64,777 | D |
| Nutrition Sciences | $61,790 | D |
| Accounting | $87,159 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $51,753 | C+ |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is CSB's best ROI program: 59 graduates, $75,656 at year one, $84,492 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.357 (ROI grade B). The B grade reflects solid earnings offset by $27,000 median debt - the same debt level that appears across almost all CSB programs, suggesting limited differentiation in borrowing by major. Nursing graduates from CSB enter the strong Minnesota healthcare labor market, including the Mayo Clinic regional system and Twin Cities hospital networks. This is the clearest financial case for enrollment at CSB's price point.
Accounting
Accounting (10 graduates) earns $64,410 at year one and $87,159 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.418 (ROI grade B). CSB accounting graduates likely place into mid-market audit, corporate finance, and regional CPA firms in the Twin Cities and upper Midwest. At a school where most programs cluster around C-grade debt-to-earnings, accounting stands out as genuinely strong.
Psychology
Psychology is CSB's largest non-nursing program by volume at 48 graduates, earning $41,029 at year one and $57,475 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.658 (ROI grade C). Against $26,640 net price over four years, the payback on a psychology degree from CSB is slow. Most bachelor's-level psychology graduates in this region enter human services, administrative, or entry-level counseling roles at $35,000-$45,000 before significant career progression. The C grade is consistent with that labor market reality.
Biology
Biology (50 graduates) earns $35,800 at year one and $60,050 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.754 (ROI grade D). The D grade at a $55,756 tuition school reflects the standard pattern of biology pre-med students who suppress year-one earnings by entering graduate or professional programs. If CSB biology graduates are largely bound for medical school, dental school, or graduate research, the 4-year earnings figure understates long-run outcomes. That context does not change the financial risk for the substantial share of biology graduates who do not proceed to graduate school.
Nutrition Sciences
Nutrition Sciences (11 graduates) earns $28,402 at year one and $61,790 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.936 (ROI grade D). The extreme gap between year-one and year-four earnings reflects a field where bachelor's-level graduates often start in low-paying dietetic internships or entry-level clinical positions before qualifying for registered dietitian credentials. The 4-year figure is more representative of the career arc.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 91.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 93.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 92.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 95.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How College of Saint Benedict’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 91.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 483-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 565-643 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,370 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 19.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,135 |
CSB's 91.5% admission rate and ACT 20-27 range describe a largely non-selective process. The admissions experience emphasizes fit with the Catholic liberal arts mission over academic selectivity. Students admitted here should focus their evaluation on financial aid package quality and program alignment rather than treating admission itself as a differentiator.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
CSB's CampusROI score is 66. The school's financial challenge is delivering value at a price point that consistently outpaces its earnings outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Saint Benedict (this school) | 66 | $26,640 | $63,260 |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | 66 | $27,483 | $67,145 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
Who Thrives Here
CSB admits 91.5% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 483-590 Math and 565-643 Reading, ACT 20-27. Enrollment is small at 1,370, with 19.9% Pell grant recipients. CSB operates in a coordinate relationship with Saint John's University (men's college), sharing some faculty and programs. The residential, single-sex environment appeals to a specific student profile. Students seeking nursing, accounting, or business will find strong program-level outcomes; students entering biology, international relations, or nutrition face poor debt-to-earnings ratios against the school's high price.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
College of Saint Benedict is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $26,640 a year after aid ($106,560 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,260 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 77.1% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,944 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
College of Saint Benedict: Common Questions
Is College of Saint Benedict worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether College of Saint Benedict is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 66/100 on our ROI scale. At $26,640 a year after aid ($106,560 over four years) against $63,260 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does College of Saint Benedict cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $26,640 a year, or roughly $106,560 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do College of Saint Benedict graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,260 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,460 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off College of Saint Benedict?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 8.7 years for College of Saint Benedict. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do College of Saint Benedict graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,944, against average earnings of $42,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at College of Saint Benedict?
The six-year graduation rate is 77.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.