Saint Francis University
Loretto, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 76.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 70/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, scores 70 (Fair Value) - one of the stronger results among small private nonprofits in our database. The cost story is what drives the gap: $44,000 tuition sticker discounts down to a $23,526 net price (a 46% institutional discount). With $27,000 median federal debt and ten-year median earnings of $62,101, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.552 produces an 8.6-year payback period - genuinely competitive with strong publics. Completion rate of 74.4% is excellent for a small Catholic liberal arts school, and the repayment rate of 83.8% indicates graduates are reliably paying down principal. The school's professional-program heavy mix - PA studies, nursing, OT/PT - drives most of the earnings story. 1,557 students keeps the campus intimate. With just 17.7% Pell rate, the student body skews middle and upper-middle income, and the institutional financial aid is meaningful for everyone who enrolls. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, Saint Francis represents a defensible value for healthcare-focused students despite the headline sticker price.
Saint Francis University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,000/yr |
| Average net price | $23,526/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $94,104 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,101 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $48,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 74.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,557 |
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: $44,000/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 $23,526/year, or roughly $94,104 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 $21,906/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,945/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $27,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $62,101 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.55, 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 | $21,906 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,995 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,677 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,717 |
| $110,001+ | $22,945 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $21,906 net per year, and the $30K-$48K band actually pays slightly less at $19,995 - a mild inverted bracket reflecting how need-based aid stacks. Low-income students still face roughly $80K-$88K four-year out-of-pocket cost, which only works if the student lands in a high-earning allied-health major.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48K-$75K band pays $22,677 and the $75K-$110K band jumps sharply to $28,717. Middle-income families face $91K-$115K in four-year out-of-pocket cost. The math works for PA, PT, OT, and nursing graduates; it's tighter for business and behavioral-science majors where earnings hit closer to $45K-$60K.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $22,945 net per year - notably less than the $75K-$110K band's $28,717. This inversion likely reflects merit aid stacking at higher income levels where need-based aid disappears. High-income families face roughly $92K four-year cost, comparable to middle-income; for healthcare-bound students this works.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Francis University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $72,821 | B |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $115,813 | B+ |
| Registered Nursing | $81,510 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $61,535 | C |
| Accounting | $70,937 | C |
| Biology | $25,411 | F |
| Marketing | $59,631 | - |
| Behavioral Sciences | $47,316 | F |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $68,578 | - |
| Psychology | $66,010 | 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.
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment
Allied Health is Saint Francis's flagship program: 42 graduates with $115,813 four-year earnings, $29,750 debt, and a 0.257 D/E ratio earning a B+ grade. This pipeline (likely PA studies and similar physician-extender paths) anchors the school's entire ROI case. Six-figure earnings within four years at modest debt levels make this one of the best private-school value plays in our database.
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Rehab/Therapeutic Professions produces 48 graduates with $72,821 four-year earnings, $29,750 debt, and a 0.409 D/E ratio (B grade). Saint Francis's PT/OT programs feed Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic healthcare systems with reliable demand. Solid, regulated-license earnings make this another high-confidence path.
Registered Nursing
Nursing yields $72,930 first-year earnings on $30,579 debt for a 0.419 D/E ratio (B grade). 38 graduates per year feed Western Pennsylvania and broader Mid-Atlantic hospital systems. Like all nursing programs, the regulated license and supply-constrained labor market create predictable strong ROI.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Admin enrolls 27 graduates with $42,706 first-year earnings, $27,043 debt, and a 0.633 D/E ratio (C grade). Solid middle-of-the-road outcomes. Less compelling than the allied-health pipeline but workable for students committed to general business credentials at a Catholic institution.
Biology
Biology produces 20 graduates with $25,411 first-year earnings, $27,000 debt, and a 1.063 D/E ratio (F grade). The pre-med problem in a small-private context: students earning $25K at year one need to be on a clear medical or PA-school track. Students who exit at the bachelor's face severe payment stress against this debt load.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 83.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 79.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 83.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Francis 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 | 76.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,557 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 17.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,645 |
Saint Francis admits 76.8% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 520-610 math and 530-620 reading, and an ACT band of 21-27. Moderately selective: prepared B-average students will get in, and the school clearly screens for academic preparation strong enough to support the demanding allied-health programs. The 74.4% completion rate is consistent with this admit profile - students who matriculate are well-matched to the program rigor and finish at a high rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among named peers, Saint Francis's 70 ROI is solidly mid-pack among small Catholic and Christian liberal arts schools. Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland posts similar numbers driven by a comparable allied-health and business mix. John Brown University and Westmont College score in the same range with stronger evangelical-Christian draws but weaker professional-program scale. Albright College posts a lower ROI with a similar mission. Bryn Athyn College has lower outcomes overall. The peer comparison shows Saint Francis's allied-health programs are the differentiator - it outperforms peer-set faith-based schools without that healthcare focus.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Francis University (this school) | 70 | $23,526 | $62,101 |
| Mount St. Mary's University | 68 | $22,655 | $64,072 |
| Westmont College | 65 | $29,053 | $64,778 |
| John Brown University | 64 | $20,397 | $53,907 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Francis fits middle-income Pennsylvanians targeting healthcare careers, particularly physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing. With 17.7% Pell rate and 1,557 students, the school is small, tight-knit, and majority middle-to-upper-middle income. Strong fit for academically prepared students drawn to the Catholic Franciscan identity and to direct-admit healthcare graduate programs. Weak fit for students seeking strong CS, engineering, or research-track liberal arts - the program menu is professionally focused.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Saint Francis University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $23,526 a year after aid ($94,104 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $62,101 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.6 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: its 74.4% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 against $62,101 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.