Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 99.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Loras College scores 62 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. This Catholic liberal arts college in Dubuque, Iowa, has $39,824 sticker tuition and a net price of $20,716. Average 6-year earnings of $38,200 are modest. The 9.6-year payback period is long. The strongest sub-score is the repayment rate: 89.8% of borrowers are current on their loans at three years, suggesting graduates who finish are managing their debt. Finance (15 graduates, $59,434 year-one, $78,989 year-four) and Accounting (14 graduates, $61,147 year-one) are the leading programs. Psychology (28 graduates) earns an F-grade ROI with a 1.146 debt-to-earnings ratio and $23,564 year-one earnings - a poor return for any student who carries the median $27,000 in debt. Kinesiology (55 graduates) earns a D-grade ROI at $31,493 year-one. Median debt of $26,000 is high relative to the net price and median earnings. The aid formula produces its lowest net prices in the $30001-75000 income range, where families pay $15,624-$17,033 per year.
Loras College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,824/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,824/yr |
| Average net price | $20,716/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,864 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,289 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 67.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,083 |
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: $39,824/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,716/year, or roughly $82,864 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 $20,479/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,039/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,000, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,200) and comes to 0.68, 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 | $20,479 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,033 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,624 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,233 |
| $110,001+ | $23,039 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $20,479 per year at Loras. This is the highest net price across all income bands, which is unusual and suggests the aid formula is not maximally generous for the lowest-income students. Four years at $20,479 totals $81,916. Given average 6-year earnings of $38,200, the financial case for low-income students is weak unless they enter finance or accounting. The 67.6% completion rate compounds the risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $15,624 - the lowest net price at Loras, a notable inversion from the typical aid formula. The 75001-110000 bracket pays $20,233. Middle-income students in the $48k-$75k range get the best deal at Loras. At $15,624 annually ($62,496 over four years), the cost is justifiable for business and finance program enrollees who complete.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $23,039 per year, roughly $92,156 over four years. At a 9.6-year payback and $38,200 average earnings, program track decides the outcome at Loras. Business, accounting, and finance are the only programs with outcomes that make the investment defensible at this cost level.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Loras College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,233 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $65,266 | C |
| Psychology | $51,036 | F |
| Social Work | $50,789 | C+ |
| Marketing | $69,010 | C |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $62,087 | C |
| Teacher Education | $47,172 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $44,741 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $78,989 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,411 | 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.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is Loras's best-performing reported program with earnings data: 15 graduates, $59,434 year-one, $78,989 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.405 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $24,077 against $59k year-one earnings is a reasonable load. For a small Catholic college in Iowa, the year-four figure of $78,989 suggests graduates find their footing in regional banking, corporate finance, or insurance markets. Volume is small, so the figures carry some noise.
Accounting
Accounting (14 graduates) earns $61,147 year-one and $74,811 year-four. The Scorecard does not report median debt or ROI grade for this program. Starting earnings above $61k for a regional Iowa accounting program are competitive - likely reflecting regional CPA firm placements and corporate accounting roles. The four-year trajectory to $74k is modest but consistent with early-career advancement in public accounting.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (49 graduates) earns $41,810 year-one and $65,266 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.646 (ROI grade C). Median debt of $27,000 at $41,810 year-one earnings is tight - the debt represents 65% of annual income. The four-year progression to $65k shows career advancement, but the starting point makes early debt management difficult. For students set on a business credential in Dubuque, this program is functional but not a strong ROI play at Loras's net price.
Psychology
Psychology (28 graduates) carries an F-grade ROI at Loras: $23,564 year-one, $51,036 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.146. Median debt of $27,000 exceeds a full year of year-one earnings. Students pursuing psychology at Loras who do not intend to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology or counseling face a difficult financial situation. The year-four figure of $51k is achievable but requires graduate training that adds further debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 84.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 89.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 86.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 89.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Loras College’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 | 99.9% |
| Enrollment | 1,083 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,039 |
With a 99.9% admission rate, Loras does not operate a meaningful admissions screen. The Scorecard does not report test score ranges. Enrollment management appears to be the primary concern, not selectivity. Prospective students should focus on financial fit and program ROI rather than admission odds.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Loras's ROI of 62 is moderate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loras College (this school) | 62 | $20,716 | $58,289 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University | 61 | $18,552 | $59,419 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
Loras admits nearly all applicants (99.9% admission rate) and does not report SAT or ACT ranges. At 1,083 enrolled, it is a small, regional Catholic college in Dubuque. The Pell grant rate of 23.4% indicates a mixed-income student body. Loras draws students from Iowa and surrounding Midwest states who seek a Catholic liberal arts education in a small-campus setting. Business, education, and criminal justice are the most professionally oriented programs. Students who enter finance or accounting have the strongest ROI case; those entering psychology, kinesiology, or communication face difficult debt-to-earnings ratios at this tuition level.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Loras College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $20,716 a year after aid ($82,864 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $58,289 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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.
Loras College: Common Questions
Is Loras College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Loras College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $20,716 a year after aid ($82,864 over four years) against $58,289 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Loras College 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 $20,716 a year, or roughly $82,864 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 Loras College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $58,289 ten years after enrolling, roughly $16,489 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 Loras College?
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 9.6 years for Loras College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Loras College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $38,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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 Loras College?
The six-year graduation rate is 67.6%, 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.