Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 77.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 57/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Ambrose University, a Catholic university in Davenport, Iowa, scores 57 (Below Average Value tier) - a respectable middle-of-the-pack profile. Sticker tuition of $36,658 is substantial, but average net price of $24,691 reflects meaningful institutional discounting (about $12K off list), putting four-year cost at $98,764. Median earnings six years out are $41,500, climbing solidly to $59,531 by year ten - a 43% increase showing real career acceleration. Median federal debt of $25,000 against those earnings produces a 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 50). Payback period of 9.7 years (sub-score 63) is workable. Completion rate of 61% (sub-score 62) is decent for a regional private. Three-year repayment rate of 76.1% (sub-score 58) is solid. Earnings premium of 0.25 (sub-score 54) is moderate. The honest read: Saint Ambrose performs consistently across all sub-scores without any standout strength or weakness - a school doing the basic job competently for the Quad Cities region. The professional programs (engineering, nursing, accounting, business) anchor the value, while the kinesiology and biology programs face the structural pre-health graduate-school dependency that produces difficult immediate post-grad math. Students who finish and pick a professional major see workable returns; the school is solid value for its tier without being exceptional.
Saint Ambrose University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,658/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,658/yr |
| Average net price | $24,691/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $98,764 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,531 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 61.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,916 |
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: $36,658/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 $24,691/year, or roughly $98,764 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 $22,037/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,807/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $25,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $59,531 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.60, 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 | $22,037 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,729 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,408 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,776 |
| $110,001+ | $27,807 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $22,037 net annually, totaling about $88,148 over four years. The discount off sticker is meaningful but the residual cost is still substantial for low-income families. Pell aid plus federal loans plus institutional grants close most of the gap; low-income students typically borrow at or near the school median ($25,000).
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $22,408 per year, about $89,632 over four years. Note: the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $21,729 - slightly less than the lowest bracket, a mild inversion in the published net-price grid suggesting aid distribution is non-monotonic at the low end. Either way, middle-income families face essentially flat net pricing across the lower brackets.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $27,807 per year, totaling $111,228 across four years - close to but below sticker. Aid grading at the top is shallow; high-income families pay only $5,770 more annually than the lowest bracket. For high-income families, the cost gap versus an in-state Iowa public is meaningful and only justified by specific Saint Ambrose program fit.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Ambrose University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $67,548 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $75,832 | B |
| Marketing | $66,714 | C |
| Psychology | $56,803 | D |
| Teacher Education | $47,634 | C |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $74,438 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $61,988 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $77,850 | C |
| Biology | $30,825 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $72,886 | - |
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 Saint Ambrose's largest and clearest ROI program: 77 graduates with $66,151 starting earnings, $75,832 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade. The Quad Cities healthcare corridor and broader Midwest BSN demand drive strong placement. Solid mid-Midwest nursing outcome at a defensible debt level.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology produces 90 graduates - the school's largest non-nursing cohort - but posts a difficult ROI: $26,608 starting, $67,548 at 4 years, $26,000 in median debt, and a 0.98 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. The dramatic 4-year earnings jump indicates students continuing to PT, OT, or PA programs and emerging into clinical roles. Students should plan on graduate study; the undergraduate-only path produces difficult math.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 24 graduates with $60,163 starting, $77,850 at 4 years, $35,135 in median debt (notably above school average), and a 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The earnings are respectable for a regional Catholic-private business program but the elevated debt load constrains the ROI. Students should be deliberate about debt-financing this major.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering produces 13 graduates with $73,622 in 1-year median earnings, $26,996 in median debt, and a 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade - the school's strongest starting earnings figure. The Iowa and Illinois manufacturing labor markets give graduates clear placement options. Small cohort, but a defensible high-ROI track.
Marketing
Marketing produces 43 graduates with $46,480 starting, $66,714 at 4 years, $26,467 in median debt, and a 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. Solid mid-tier outcome reflecting Quad Cities and broader Midwest marketing labor markets. Graduates accelerating into senior agency or corporate roles see the 4-year earnings ramp; entry-level placement is competitive but unspectacular.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 83.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Ambrose University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 77.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,916 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,663 |
Saint Ambrose admits 77.3% of applicants. SAT mid-range Math 440-590, Reading 490-580, and ACT composite of 20-25 indicate a moderately prepared student body. The 61% completion rate aligns reasonably with the academic profile - mid-tier persistence for a mid-tier admissions pool. Selectivity here is modest; the financial value depends more on student major selection and persistence than on admissions filtering.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Saint Ambrose's peer set includes Briar Cliff (similar Iowa Catholic), Buena Vista, St. Francis College, DeSales, and Art Center College of Design. Within this peer cohort, Saint Ambrose's outcomes are roughly average - DeSales and St. Francis post comparable profiles, while Briar Cliff and Buena Vista trail somewhat. Art Center is a different institutional type (specialty arts) and not a useful direct comparison. Saint Ambrose's nursing and engineering programs outperform most peers, propping up institutional aggregates.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Ambrose University (this school) | 57 | $24,691 | $59,531 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
| DeSales University | 56 | $31,643 | $61,295 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Ambrose fits the Quad Cities or eastern Iowa student looking for a small (1,916 students) Catholic liberal arts experience with reasonable proximity to home. Pell rate of 31.6% indicates a mixed-income but substantially working-class student body. The strongest fit is for nursing, engineering, accounting, or business students targeting Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin labor markets. The 61% completion rate is workable for prepared students, but persistence support matters; uncertain students should think hard about whether a smaller residential private vs an in-state public makes more financial sense.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Saint Ambrose University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $24,691 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,531 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 9.7 years to earn the cost back - slower than most four-year schools. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
Median debt of $25,000 against $59,531 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.