Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California · Private Nonprofit · 45.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 72/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) scores 72 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. Sticker tuition is $62,357 and the net price is $48,381. Total 4-year net cost exceeds $193,000. Average 6-year earnings are $53,000 and the payback period is 7.7 years, which is workable for graduates entering business and engineering but extremely difficult for graduates entering film, theatre, dance, or fine arts. Biology earns an F grade (62 graduates, $22,638 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.088) - near-term biology earnings are suppressed by graduate school enrollment. Completion rate of 78.9% is solid. The 45.1% admission rate and LA location attract a specific applicant pool, but the $48,381 net price demands that students choose their major with clear eyes about post-graduation earnings.
Loyola Marymount University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $62,357/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $62,357/yr |
| Average net price | $48,381/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $193,524 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $78,349 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $53,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $207 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 78.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,094 |
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: $62,357/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $48,381/year, or roughly $193,524 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 $32,268/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $58,371/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,500, which works out to about $207 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($53,000) and comes to 0.37, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $32,268 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $34,535 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,351 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $40,557 |
| $110,001+ | $58,371 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $32,268 per year at LMU - over $129,000 over four years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $34,351 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $40,557 - both are high. Middle-income families face the greatest relative burden at LMU: they do not qualify for the most generous aid but are paying nearly full price at $40,000+ per year. This is a stress point for families in this bracket who are funding a film or arts degree rather than business or engineering.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $58,371 - approaching full sticker. High-income families paying $58,000+ annually at LMU are making a bet on the LA network effect and institutional brand. For business and engineering graduates, the 7.7-year payback is defensible. For arts graduates, high-income families are essentially subsidizing a career path with long and uncertain payback periods.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Loyola Marymount University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $60,958 | C |
| Marketing | $82,825 | C+ |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $49,135 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $61,500 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $109,303 | B+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $69,144 | C+ |
| International Relations | $72,375 | D |
| Entrepreneurship | $69,534 | B+ |
| Biology | $80,317 | F |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $58,468 | D |
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.
Accounting
Accounting is LMU's best ROI program: 40 graduates, $70,960 year-one, $111,733 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.240 (ROI grade A). Median debt of $17,000 is low relative to earnings velocity. The 4-year trajectory to $111k reflects CPA licensing and career progression into senior accounting and finance roles in the Los Angeles market. This is the program where LMU's location and business network pay off most clearly.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance enrolls 111 graduates - the largest business cohort - with $70,542 year-one and $109,303 year-four earnings (ROI grade B+, debt-to-earnings 0.276). Median debt of $19,500 is low. LMU's proximity to LA's financial services sector and its alumni network in banking and investment management support this trajectory. Finance is the volume program that sustains the institution's aggregate ROI score.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video and Photographic Arts earns an F-grade ROI: 117 graduates, $24,561 year-one, $61,500 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.947 against $23,250 median debt. Year-one earnings of $24,561 against a $48,381 net price per year is a severe mismatch. The 4-year figure of $61,500 shows a positive long-run trajectory, but the near-term financial stress for film graduates at LMU's price point is real. Students entering this program should have a concrete financial plan for the first 3-5 years.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama/Theatre Arts earns an F grade: 121 graduates, $21,869 year-one, $49,135 year-four, debt-to-earnings 1.063. Debt exceeds year-one earnings by 106%. At a $48,381 net price institution, drama graduates face the most acute near-term financial stress of any major in this review.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences (37 graduates) earns $79,763 year-one and $127,011 year-four with a B+ ROI grade and debt-to-earnings of 0.326. Median debt of $26,000 is moderate against strong starting salaries. LMU's CS graduates enter the LA and Bay Area tech markets with a Jesuit liberal arts background.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 77.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 84.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Loyola Marymount University’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 | 45.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 620-710 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 640-720 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 28-32 |
| Enrollment | 7,094 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 13.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,834 |
At 45.1%, LMU is moderately selective. The SAT 620-710 Math and 640-720 Reading mid-ranges describe the middle half of the admitted class. ACT 28-32 composite is the parallel. The caliber of admitted students and the academic environment reflect the selectivity. The financial aid model produces a $48,381 average net price that is high even for this tuition tier.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
LMU's 72 ROI score reflects its bifurcated program mix: the business and engineering programs are strong, but the arts and entertainment programs that define LMU's brand identity in LA carry D and F ROI grades at this price point.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola Marymount University (this school) | 72 | $48,381 | $78,349 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Texas Christian University | 71 | $36,660 | $68,424 |
| Bellevue University | 65 | $17,550 | $61,289 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | 61 | $16,898 | $59,986 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
LMU admits 45.1% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 620-710 Math and 640-720 Reading; ACT composite 28-32. Enrollment is 7,094 undergraduates in Los Angeles. Pell grant rate of 13.2% is low, indicating limited low-income enrollment. The institution attracts students drawn to media, entertainment, and business in a Los Angeles context. That positioning works financially only for students in the higher-earning programs - the arts and film tracks produce F-grade ROI at this price point.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Loyola Marymount University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $48,381 a year after aid ($193,524 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $78,349 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 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 78.9% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $19,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $53,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Loyola Marymount University: Common Questions
Is Loyola Marymount University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Loyola Marymount University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 72/100 on our ROI scale. At $48,381 a year after aid ($193,524 over four years) against $78,349 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Loyola Marymount University 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 $48,381 a year, or roughly $193,524 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 Loyola Marymount University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $78,349 ten years after enrolling, roughly $36,549 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 Loyola Marymount University?
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 7.7 years for Loyola Marymount University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Loyola Marymount University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,500, against average earnings of $53,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Loyola Marymount University?
The six-year graduation rate is 78.9%, 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.