Saint Anselm College
Manchester, New Hampshire · Private Nonprofit · 78.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 74/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Anselm College, a Benedictine Catholic liberal arts college outside Manchester, New Hampshire, scores 74 out of 100, landing in the Fair Value tier. Every sub-score is solid: 80% completion rate, 7.3-year payback period, 0.541 debt-to-earnings ratio, 89.2% three-year repayment rate, and 27.6% earnings premium. Tuition is $48,920 with net price at $34,779 - a meaningful 29% institutional discount. Median earnings 10 years after entry hit $73,371, climbing strongly from $49,900 at year six. Median debt is $27,000, modest given the sticker. The program portfolio is the standout: nursing, finance, accounting, and business all earn B/B+/C+ grades with first-year earnings at or above $60,000.
Saint Anselm College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $48,920/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $48,920/yr |
| Average net price | $34,779/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $139,116 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $73,371 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $49,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 80.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,087 |
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: $48,920/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $34,779/year, or roughly $139,116 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 $25,143/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,268/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($49,900) and comes to 0.54, 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 | $25,143 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,956 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,193 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,710 |
| $110,001+ | $37,268 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $25,143 net price - a meaningful Pell-and-institutional-aid discount. With $73,371 in 10-year median earnings and $27,000 in median debt, low-income students who complete come out clearly ahead.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $26,956 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $27,193 (essentially identical - a small flat zone). The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $31,710. Middle-income families pay roughly $27,000-$32,000 net annually for a strong-completion small private with $73K median 10-year earnings. The math works.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $37,268 - well below the $48,920 sticker but a real outlay. Full-pay families spend roughly $149,000 over four years for a credential with $73K median 10-year earnings and a 7.3-year payback period. This is one of the more defensible high-income private-college choices for nursing, finance, or accounting tracks.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Anselm College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,470 | B+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $84,734 | C+ |
| Political Science and Government | $69,676 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $90,161 | B |
| Teacher Education | $56,049 | C |
| Psychology | $55,084 | D |
| Marketing | $50,721 | C+ |
| Biology | $33,820 | D |
| International Relations | $80,763 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $69,288 | 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
Eighty-four graduates earn a B+ grade. First-year earnings of $79,609 climb to $91,470 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.339 debt-to-earnings ratio.
Business Administration and Management
Fifty-two graduates earn a C+ grade. First-year earnings of $60,054 climb to $84,734 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.45 ratio. Excellent BBA outcomes - the four-year earnings progression reaches $85K. Boston-area corporate, banking, and consulting recruiting reaches Saint Anselm meaningfully.
Political Science and Government
Forty-nine graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $46,814 climb to $69,676 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.577 ratio. Strong outcomes for poli-sci, reflecting Saint Anselm's notable national profile in politics (NH primary debates) and pipeline into law school, government, and policy careers. Many graduates advance to law school or congressional/state government roles.
Finance and Financial Management
Thirty-nine graduates earn a B grade. First-year earnings of $62,821 climb to $90,161 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.43 ratio. Strong finance outcomes that track Boston-area asset-management, banking, and corporate finance recruiting. The four-year jump to $90K indicates real career-track placement.
Teacher Education
Thirty-three graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $40,836 climb to $56,049 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.661 ratio.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 88.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 89.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 88.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 92.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Anselm College’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 | 78.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 570-658 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-30 |
| Enrollment | 2,087 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 11.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,792 |
Saint Anselm admits 78% of applicants - broadly accessible despite its strong reputation. SAT mid-ranges run 540-620 math and 570-658 reading, ACT 24-30 - solidly above the national median. The 80% completion rate is excellent and consistent with the academically prepared student body.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Anselm College (this school) | 74 | $34,779 | $73,371 |
| Dartmouth College | 95 | $29,519 | $97,434 |
| University of Mary | 76 | $17,770 | $60,909 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | 76 | $19,589 | $66,990 |
| California Lutheran University | 71 | $30,109 | $68,712 |
| Colby-Sawyer College | 32 | $27,431 | $46,474 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Anselm enrolls 2,087 students with an 11.4% Pell rate (relatively low - a largely middle-to-upper-middle income student body). Students who fit the small-college Catholic liberal arts model and target one of the strong pre-professional tracks find genuine ROI here.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Saint Anselm College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $34,779 a year after aid ($139,116 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $73,371 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.3 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 80.0% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $49,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, 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.
Saint Anselm College: Common Questions
Is Saint Anselm College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Saint Anselm College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 74/100 on our ROI scale. At $34,779 a year after aid ($139,116 over four years) against $73,371 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Saint Anselm College 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 $34,779 a year, or roughly $139,116 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 Saint Anselm College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $73,371 ten years after enrolling, roughly $31,571 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 Saint Anselm College?
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 7.3 years for Saint Anselm College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Saint Anselm College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $49,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54. 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 Saint Anselm College?
The six-year graduation rate is 80.0%, 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.