Mount Marty University
Yankton, South Dakota · Private Nonprofit · 42.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 34/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Mount Marty University scores 34 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. Located in Yankton, South Dakota, with 697 students, Mount Marty is a small Catholic liberal arts university with sticker tuition of $34,600 and a net price of $22,227. Average 6-year earnings of $34,600 equal the annual sticker tuition - a sobering benchmark. The payback period of 17.4 years and debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.763 confirm the financial challenge. The completion rate of 52.4% is weak; fewer than half of enrolled students graduate. The repayment rate of 80.4% is adequate. Median debt is $26,396. Pell grant rate of 22.4% indicates a mix of income levels. The Scorecard reports only three programs: Registered Nursing (28 grads, B grade, $66,183 yr1), Teacher Education (7 grads, C grade), and Business Administration (30 grads, C grade, $39,625 yr1). Nursing is the institution's clearest ROI-positive track.
How Mount Marty University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score34/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Mount Marty University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,600/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,600/yr |
| Average net price | $22,227/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $88,908 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,179 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,396 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $280 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 697 |
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: $34,600/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $22,227/year, or roughly $88,908 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 $19,564/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,601/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,396, which works out to about $280 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,600) and comes to 0.76, 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 | $19,564 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,492 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,669 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,331 |
| $110,001+ | $23,601 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $19,564 per year. Against $34,600 average 6-year earnings and a 17.4-year payback, the low-income case is difficult even at the discounted price. The exception is nursing: low-income nursing graduates who complete can reach payback within a reasonable timeframe. The 52.4% completion rate means roughly half of low-income enrollees do not graduate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $23,669 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $22,331. The aid formula produces nearly equal costs across the upper-middle income range, indicating limited differential aid. At $22-24k per year against $34,600 average earnings, the financial case for non-nursing programs is structurally difficult regardless of income bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $23,601 per year - essentially flat across all brackets above $30,000. Over four years, roughly $94,000. At $34,600 average 6-year earnings and a 17.4-year payback, the financial case at any price above $20k is difficult. High-income families choosing Mount Marty are prioritizing Catholic community, Dakota cultural proximity, and small campus intimacy over financial optimization.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Mount Marty University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,205 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $67,187 | B |
| Teacher Education | $49,652 | 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
Registered Nursing (28 graduates) earns $66,183 year one and $67,187 at year four, with a B grade (debt-to-earnings 0.408, median debt $27,000). Year-one earnings of $66k are strong for a South Dakota nursing graduate entering regional hospital and healthcare systems. The flat trajectory from year one to year four ($66k to $67k) reflects the structure of nursing salary schedules in rural markets. Nursing is the clearest ROI-positive program at Mount Marty and the institution's strongest Scorecard outcome.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (30 graduates) earns $39,625 year one and $59,205 at year four, with a C grade (debt-to-earnings 0.681, median debt $27,000). Year-one earnings of $40k are modest for a bachelor's business graduate, reflecting the South Dakota regional employment market. The four-year trajectory to $59k represents reasonable progression. The C grade reflects that debt relative to year-one earnings is elevated at a $22,227 net price.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (7 graduates) earns $45,760 year one and $49,652 at year four, with a C grade (debt-to-earnings 0.590, median debt $27,000). The debt ratio of 0.590 is manageable given regional salary norms but the small sample size (7 graduates) limits statistical reliability.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 77.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 70.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Mount Marty 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 | 42.6% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 697 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 22.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,411 |
At 42.6%, Mount Marty is moderately selective. ACT 18-25 composite reflects a moderate academic profile. Scorecard does not report SAT ranges. Admissions is accessible for most qualified applicants. The more important selection decision is program: nursing admits may face additional clinical prerequisites and capacity limits. Business and teacher education admission is likely straightforward for eligible students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Marty University (this school) | 34 | $22,227 | $48,179 |
| Augustana University | 63 | $23,894 | $59,217 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | 45 | $19,735 | $53,728 |
| Parker University | 39 | $29,135 | $42,091 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
Who Thrives Here
Mount Marty admits 42.6% of applicants. Scorecard does not report SAT ranges. ACT mid-range is 18-25 composite. Enrollment of 697 is very small. The institution draws primarily from South Dakota and the surrounding Northern Plains region. Students who value a small Catholic liberal arts community, proximity to the Yankton area, and a residential campus experience will find a consistent environment. The 52.4% completion rate means approximately one in two students does not graduate, which should weigh heavily in any enrollment decision. The nursing program is the strongest financial case.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Mount Marty University scores 34/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,227 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,179 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.4 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 52.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,396 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. 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.
Mount Marty University: Common Questions
Is Mount Marty University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Mount Marty University scores 34/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,227 a year after aid against $48,179 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Mount Marty 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 $22,227 a year, or roughly $88,908 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 Mount Marty University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,179 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,379 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 Mount Marty 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 17.4 years for Mount Marty University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Mount Marty University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,396, against average earnings of $34,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. 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 Mount Marty University?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.4%. 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.