Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, Texas · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 35/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Our Lady of the Lake University, a small Catholic Hispanic-Serving Institution in San Antonio, posts an ROI score of 35 - Poor Value tier - and the underlying metrics make a difficult case. Median 10-year earnings of $48,675 are modest, modeled payback runs 15 years, and debt-to-earnings sits at 0.70 against median debt of $24,999. The most concerning numbers are completion (46.1%) and 5-year repayment (51.8%), both of which are bottom-decile and indicate that more than half of starters don't finish and a meaningful share of completers struggle to service their loans. Net price of $16,442 is moderate (versus $32,106 sticker), and Pell rate of 57.2% reflects OLLU's HSI mission and serving a high-need student population. The school's mission is real and important - bringing Hispanic and first-generation students into degree pathways in education, social work, and helping professions - but the financial outcomes for students who don't finish are punishing. None of the reported program-level ROI grades are above C; biology and kinesiology both post F grades with debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. Prospective students should weigh OLLU primarily on mission fit and proximity rather than financial return.
The data raises concerns about Our Lady of the Lake University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score35/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
Our Lady of the Lake University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,106/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,106/yr |
| Average net price | $16,442/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $65,768 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,675 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,999 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,066 |
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: $32,106/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $16,442/year, or roughly $65,768 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 $16,236/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,100/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $24,999 in federal loans, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $48,675 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.70, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $16,236 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,595 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,225 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,118 |
| $110,001+ | $19,100 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $16,236 net annually - only modest discounting versus the $16,442 average net price. Pell carries most of the load, but institutional aid is thin. Four-year cost runs about $65,000. For a Pell-eligible student who completes - particularly in social work or business - the math can work, but the 46.1% completion rate makes this a coin-flip bet, and students who don't finish are left with debt and no credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Note inverted brackets: families earning $30,001-$48,000 pay $18,595 - MORE than the lowest-income group, and more than the $48,001-$75,000 ($17,225) and $75,001-$110,000 ($17,118) brackets. This non-monotonic pattern is unusual and likely reflects merit-aid concentration at certain ranges plus IPEDS sample-size noise. Middle-income families face four-year totals around $69,000, hard to justify against median 10-year earnings under $49,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $19,100 - about 60% of sticker, indicating modest institutional discounting at the top. Four years runs roughly $76,000. With median 10-year earnings of $48,675, the lifetime ROI math is weak. High-income families would be better served by UTSA, Texas State, or out-of-state alternatives unless OLLU's specific mission and Catholic identity are central to the choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Our Lady of the Lake University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | $51,943 | D |
| Psychology | $39,524 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $53,882 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,505 | D |
| Biology | $48,915 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $47,860 | C |
| Communication Disorders Sciences | $48,740 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $67,919 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 17 students per year with $42,247 first-year and $47,860 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $27,500 yields a 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Earnings are below the school-wide ten-year median, which is unusual - typically business is one of the stronger tracks at small privates. Prospective business students should compare carefully against UTSA business, where in-state pricing and stronger placement networks would likely deliver better ROI.
Social Work
Social work is OLLU's largest cohort at 55 graduates per year, with $38,209 first-year and $51,943 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $27,250 produces a 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. As elsewhere, the social work career trajectory really requires MSW completion - bachelor's-only social workers struggle to clear the income threshold needed to service this debt. OLLU's MSW program adds value, but the bachelor's stage alone is hard to justify.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 38 students per year and posts a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $27,247 and four-year earnings of $39,524 - the lowest reported four-year figure on campus - combined with median debt of $25,125 produce a 0.92 debt-to-earnings ratio. As with social work, psychology only converts at OLLU with graduate study. Bachelor's-only psychology students here face one of the weakest ROI outcomes in the dataset.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 23 students per year and posts an F ROI grade - debt-to-earnings of 1.01, meaning median debt slightly exceeds first-year earnings. Four-year earnings recover to $53,882, but first-year earnings of just $25,403 indicate graduates spend the early career years underwater. As at other small privates, kinesiology requires graduate study (DPT, OT) to convert; without that plan, this is a financial dead end.
Biology
Biology posts the worst ROI grade on campus - F, with a 1.53 debt-to-earnings ratio. First-year earnings of $18,452 and median debt of $28,250 create a brutal early-career math problem. Four-year earnings of $48,915 do recover, suggesting many graduates eventually move into clinical or graduate-school pathways, but the bachelor's-only outcomes here are punishing. Prospective biology students should commit to medical, dental, or graduate-school plans before enrolling.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 47.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 51.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Our Lady of the Lake 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
| Enrollment | 1,066 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 57.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,790 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, nor are SAT or ACT score ranges. The absence of these data points combined with a 46.1% completion rate suggests OLLU operates as a broadly accessible HSI where admissions is not the primary screen. Prospective students cannot rely on selectivity signals to evaluate fit; instead, the question is honest self-assessment about academic preparation and ability to complete a four-year program.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
OLLU's named peers are Abilene Christian University, Arlington Baptist University, Friends University, Piedmont University, and Maryville College. The cohort is small Christian or faith-affiliated privates with similar enrollment scales but mostly higher completion rates than OLLU. Abilene Christian (the strongest peer here) outperforms OLLU on completion and earnings; the remaining peers all post comparable or weaker outcomes. Within Texas, OLLU is one of the weaker-ROI Catholic options versus University of the Incarnate Word and St. Mary's University.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of the Lake University (this school) | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Abilene Christian University | 51 | $26,182 | $55,736 |
| Piedmont University | 35 | $20,599 | $49,130 |
| Friends University | 35 | $27,715 | $52,113 |
| Maryville College | 35 | $19,360 | $49,279 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
Who Thrives Here
OLLU fits a San Antonio-area, often first-generation, often Pell-eligible Latina/o student drawn to a small Catholic campus, often with family or work obligations. Enrollment of 1,066 keeps classes intimate. Pell rate of 57.2% reflects high need-based enrollment. Strong fits are students who are committed to social work, education, or healthcare, who can finish on time, and who minimize borrowing. Students who shop around will find UTSA or Texas A&M-San Antonio offer similar in-state public alternatives with better ROI metrics.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Our Lady of the Lake University are a real concern. With a net cost of $16,442 per year and the typical graduate earning only $48,675 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 15 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 46.1% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,999 against $48,675 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Our Lady of the Lake University: Common Questions
Is Our Lady of the Lake University worth it?
In our view, the numbers are a real concern - for most students the financial return does not justify the cost. Our Lady of the Lake University scores 35/100 on our ROI scale. At $16,442 a year after aid against $48,675 in typical earnings ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 15 years.
How much does Our Lady of the Lake University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $16,442 a year, or roughly $65,768 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Our Lady of the Lake University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,675 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,875 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 Our Lady of the Lake 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 15 years for Our Lady of the Lake University. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do Our Lady of the Lake University graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $24,999, against $48,675 in typical earnings a decade out. That is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Our Lady of the Lake University?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.1%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.