Madonna University
Livonia, Michigan · Private Nonprofit · 63.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Madonna University, a Catholic private nonprofit in Livonia, Michigan, posts an ROI score of 62 - Fair Value tier. The institution serves 1,632 students and operates as a healthcare-focused regional private. Sticker tuition is $28,440 with a notably lower net price of $17,755, producing a $71,020 four-year all-in cost. Six-year average earnings are $40,700, climbing to a median $59,058 by year ten - a healthy 45% earnings ramp. The 8.8-year payback period is supported by an earnings premium sub-score of 74 (the strongest input). Median debt of $23,000 produces a 0.565 debt-to-earnings ratio. Completion rate of 60% is solid for a private of Madonna's profile. The weak spot is the 57.8% three-year repayment rate, suggesting early-career repayment is uneven despite reasonable long-run earnings. Madonna's value proposition is built around its Nursing program (233 graduates per year, B-grade outcomes with $73,608 first-year earnings) and broader healthcare/social-services portfolio. Outside healthcare, programs like Business Administration deliver weaker D-grade outcomes.
Madonna University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $28,440/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,440/yr |
| Average net price | $17,755/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,020 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,058 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $244 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,632 |
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: $28,440/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,755/year, or roughly $71,020 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 $14,759/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,005/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,000, which works out to about $244 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,700) and comes to 0.56, 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 | $14,759 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,277 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,912 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,593 |
| $110,001+ | $22,005 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $14,759 - well below sticker, indicating meaningful Pell-plus-institutional aid leverage. The four-year cost of about $59,000 against $40,700 six-year earnings is workable for completers in nursing or healthcare paths. Madonna's aid policy appears genuinely accessible at this bracket.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $15,277, $48,001-$75,000 pays $16,912, $75,001-$110,000 pays $16,593. Net prices are remarkably flat across the middle three brackets, with a mild inversion (the third-highest tier pays slightly less than the second-highest) - this is a small anomaly likely driven by sample distribution. Aid leverage is consistent and meaningful through this range.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001-plus bracket pays $22,005 - the highest tier but still well below sticker. Higher-income families lose some aid leverage but Madonna remains relatively affordable on private-college terms.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Madonna University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $79,682 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,515 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $50,913 | C+ |
| Biology | $63,032 | C |
| Legal Support Services | $56,416 | - |
| Social Work | $58,037 | B |
| American Sign Language | $50,382 | - |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $45,795 | - |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $69,333 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Madonna's flagship program with 233 graduates per year - by far the volume engine of the institution. First-year median earnings of $73,608 climb to $79,682 by year four, reflecting steady but moderate wage growth typical of hospital-based RN careers. Median debt of $31,000 produces a 0.421 debt-to-earnings ratio and B grade. The Detroit-metro nursing market is healthy and Madonna graduates feed major regional health systems. This single program drives most of Madonna's overall ROI score.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 44 students with first-year earnings of $35,691 climbing strongly to $64,515 by year four. Median debt of $27,029 produces a 0.757 ratio and D grade. The strong four-year ramp suggests graduates eventually advance into mid-career roles, but the high first-year-to-debt gap is a meaningful early-career drag.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 38 students with $36,296 first-year earnings climbing to $50,913 by year four. Median debt of $19,771 produces a 0.545 ratio and C+ grade. The lower debt level reflects either smaller institutional borrowing or faster completion in this program. Outcomes are reasonable for the field.
Biology
Biology graduates 19 students with first-year earnings of $46,127 climbing to $63,032 by year four. Median debt of $30,750 produces a 0.667 ratio and C grade. Madonna's biology serves as pre-health pipeline; the strong four-year earnings figure may reflect graduates entering healthcare administrative or pharmaceutical roles, or may be skewed by graduate-school placements.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 8 students with four-year out earnings of $58,037 - unusually strong for the discipline, suggesting graduates pursue MSW credentials and clinical practice. Median debt of $25,597 produces a 0.441 ratio and B grade. The small cohort and strong outcomes indicate a focused, mission-aligned program with good placement into Michigan social services.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 52.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 57.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 62.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Madonna 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 | 63.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-540 |
| Enrollment | 1,632 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,541 |
Madonna's admission rate is 63.4% - moderately selective. The 60% completion rate is roughly in line with admission selectivity, suggesting the institution does adequate work retaining the students it admits.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madonna University (this school) | 62 | $17,755 | $59,058 |
| Albion College | 65 | $14,301 | $58,799 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Concordia University-Irvine | 62 | $28,115 | $65,083 |
| Fresno Pacific University | 62 | $13,630 | $58,896 |
| Adrian College | 39 | $25,368 | $55,504 |
Who Thrives Here
Madonna enrolls 1,632 students with a Pell Grant rate of 30.4% - a moderate-need student body. Outcomes are heavily concentrated in healthcare programs.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Madonna University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $17,755 a year after aid ($71,020 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $59,058 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 57.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $23,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56, 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.
Madonna University: Common Questions
Is Madonna University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Madonna University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $17,755 a year after aid ($71,020 over four years) against $59,058 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Madonna 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 $17,755 a year, or roughly $71,020 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 Madonna University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,058 ten years after enrolling, roughly $17,258 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 Madonna 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 8.8 years for Madonna University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Madonna University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,000, against average earnings of $40,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. 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 Madonna University?
The six-year graduation rate is 60.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.