Saint Elizabeth University
Morristown, New Jersey · Private Nonprofit · 71.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Poor Value
Saint Elizabeth University scores 41/100 (Poor Value, red tier), a typical-private-nonprofit profile with one outsized strength masking weaker general outcomes. Tuition is $36,741 against a $23,125 net price (37% discount), and four-year total cost runs $92,500. The 51.1% completion rate is mid-pack, and 12.9-year payback period is workable. Median debt of $24,934 against $53,038 in 10-year earnings produces a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio that is the best sub-score on the page (44/100). The earnings premium is 0.195, modest. Repayment rate of 67.7% at three years (33/100 sub-score) shows borrowers manage payments but slowly reduce principal. The school's defining feature is its outlier nursing program: 46 graduates earning $100,007 in year one and $109,286 by year four with a 0.275 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ ROI grade. Strip nursing out and the institution's economics fall apart - other reported programs land in C to F territory. SEU is a small (557 students) Catholic former women's college in suburban NJ with a 57.9% Pell rate, effectively functioning as a nursing pipeline with a residual liberal-arts core.
The data raises concerns about Saint Elizabeth University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score41/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
Saint Elizabeth University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,741/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,741/yr |
| Average net price | $23,125/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $92,500 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,038 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,934 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $264 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 557 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Saint Elizabeth University is $36,741/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $23,125/year, or roughly $92,500 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $20,379/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,559/year.
The median graduate leaves with $24,934 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $264 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $53,038 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.63 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $20,379 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,441 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,866 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,937 |
| $110,001+ | $30,559 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $20,379 net, but in a notable inverted-bracket signal the $30,001-$48,000 tier actually pays less at $18,441. This inversion suggests aid-stacking quirks where some need-based programs phase in slowly. Even at $20,379 net, four-year cost of $81,516 is manageable for nursing-track students given their $100,000 year-1 earnings, but punishing in other majors.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $21,866 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $31,937. The jump from middle to upper-middle income is the steepest in the bracket. Middle-income families face four-year cost of $87,464 to $127,748 against $53,038 schoolwide earnings; the math only works for nursing students or for completers continuing to graduate school.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $30,559 net, slightly less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket (a mild inversion). At $122,236 over four years, full-pay non-nursing families should look elsewhere. Even for nursing, Rutgers and Monmouth produce comparable outcomes at lower cost. SEU at full price is a fit decision for the Catholic mission and small-college environment.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Saint Elizabeth University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $109,286 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $46,247 | C |
| Psychology | $38,484 | F |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $55,573 | 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 the school's flagship and one of the strongest nursing-program ROI profiles in our dataset. 46 graduates, $100,007 first-year earnings rising to $109,286 by year four, $27,500 debt and a 0.275 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade. The six-figure starting wage reflects NJ metropolitan-area hospital pay scales and SEU's strong clinical placement pipeline. This single program essentially carries the school's value proposition; for nursing-track students, SEU is a genuine economic win.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 13 students with $37,218 first-year and $46,247 four-year earnings against $24,548 debt for a 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade. These earnings are weak for NJ, well below the state's median bachelor's outcomes. NJ public alternatives (Rutgers, Montclair State) produce substantially stronger business outcomes at half the cost.
Psychology
Psychology produces 11 graduates with just $22,040 first-year earnings and $38,484 four-year against $25,000 debt for a 1.134 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The major produces the school's worst ROI by a wide margin. Starting a likely-required graduate-school path $25,000 in undergrad debt at these earnings is a financial trap. State publics are dramatically better here.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Interdisciplinary Studies produces 2 graduates with $55,573 four-year earnings against $24,934 debt for a 0.449 debt-to-earnings ratio and B grade. The tiny sample makes the data noisy, but the program is often a flexible degree-completion path for working adults or pre-grad students. The B grade is worth treating with skepticism given the sample size.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 71.0% |
| Enrollment | 557 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 57.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,875 |
Saint Elizabeth admits 71% of applicants but reports no SAT or ACT mid-ranges in current Scorecard data, leaving little signal on academic profile. Selectivity is real but modest; the 51.1% completion rate suggests the school admits students across a wide preparation band, with nursing-track students completing at substantially higher rates than the schoolwide average given the program's clinical sequencing and academic requirements.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Caldwell University and Centenary University are Saint Elizabeth's closest demographic peers (small NJ private nonprofits), both scoring in similar Poor Value territory with comparable completion and earnings outcomes. Parker University is a niche health-sciences school with different economics. Florida College and Rabbinical College-Bobover-Yeshiva-Bnei-Zion serve very different student profiles. Across this peer set, SEU's nursing program is a real differentiator, producing significantly stronger outcomes than peer nursing programs at Caldwell or Centenary.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Elizabeth University (this school) | 41 | $23,125 | $53,038 |
| Centenary University | 53 | $20,503 | $53,726 |
| Florida College | 44 | $23,931 | $43,445 |
| Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion | 41 | $9,136 | $20,707 |
| Caldwell University | 40 | $24,691 | $53,843 |
| Parker University | 39 | $29,135 | $42,091 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Elizabeth fits NJ students committed to nursing as their major, willing to absorb $23,125 in annual net price, and drawn to a small-college Catholic environment. With 557 students and 57.9% Pell, the campus is heavily need-served and intimate. Non-nursing students should evaluate carefully: business is a C, psychology is an F, and the school's economics outside nursing are weak. NJ residents not committed to nursing should compare against Rutgers or TCNJ which produce stronger outcomes at meaningfully lower cost.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Saint Elizabeth University. With a net cost of $23,125 per year and median graduate earnings of only $53,038 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 12.9 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 51.1% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $24,934 against $53,038 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.