Saint Johns University
Collegeville, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit · 90.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 83/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint John's University (SJU, Collegeville, MN - the Benedictine men's college) scores 83 (Strong Value). The score reflects a 5.8-year payback, $49,600 average 6-year earnings, 75.4% completion rate, and an extraordinary 92.0% three-year repayment rate. Sticker tuition is $55,816, but net price averages $25,672, reflecting SJU's deep discount and aid structure. SJU is small (1,395 students), admitting 90.6% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 438-593 Math and 503-635 Reading. The wide SAT range reflects an access-oriented admission philosophy for a faith-based private. Computer Science (26 graduates, B+, $69,964 year-one) and Accounting (59 graduates, B, $61,135 year-one) are the strongest Scorecard programs. Business Administration (77 graduates, C+) is the modal program. The 18.0% Pell grant rate is low. The rural central Minnesota location limits immediate labor market access, but the CSB/SJU network and Twin Cities proximity produce strong graduate outcomes.
Saint Johns University scores in the top 11% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Saint Johns University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $55,816/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $55,816/yr |
| Average net price | $25,672/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $102,688 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $76,786 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $49,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 75.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,395 |
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: $55,816/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,672/year, or roughly $102,688 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 $10,354/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,822/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 ($49,600) 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 | $10,354 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,715 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,196 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,913 |
| $110,001+ | $32,822 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $10,354 per year; the $30,001-48,000 bracket pays $9,715 - the lowest net price tier, reflecting SJU's strong grant support at lower income levels. Over four years, roughly $38,000-$41,000. Against $49,600 average earnings and a 5.8-year payback, the financial case for lower-income students at SJU is genuinely strong. The 92% repayment rate confirms that graduates across income brackets service their debt successfully.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $16,196; the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $22,913. Middle-income families targeting CS, accounting, or business find SJU's outcomes defensible at these prices.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110,000 pay $32,822 per year - roughly $131,000 over four years. At that price, SJU's Strong Value tier requires program discipline: CS and accounting graduates justify this investment; biology, international relations, and communication graduates at full pay face a harder financial case.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Johns University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $74,762 | C+ |
| Accounting | $80,872 | B |
| Biology | $71,560 | D |
| Computer Science | $101,188 | B+ |
| International Relations | $63,770 | F |
| Psychology | $56,446 | C+ |
| Economics | $80,461 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $40,423 | C |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $59,718 | - |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $67,607 | - |
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.
Computer Science
Computer Science (26 graduates) earns $69,964 year-one and $101,188 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.349 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $24,384. The year-four trajectory above $100k confirms strong career progression. B+ is the accurate assessment: good outcomes at private college pricing that is substantially reduced by aid.
Accounting
Accounting (59 graduates) earns $61,135 year-one and $80,872 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.442 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $27,000. Accounting is the strongest conventional career track at SJU, with Twin Cities public accounting and corporate finance providing solid demand. The B grade reflects strong outcomes relative to private college debt.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (77 graduates - SJU's largest program) earns $51,959 year-one and $74,762 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.520 (ROI grade C+). Median debt of $27,000. The SJU/CSB alumni network in Minnesota corporate culture is a meaningful asset that the Scorecard doesn't quantify.
Biology
Biology (31 graduates) earns $34,684 year-one and $71,560 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.778 (ROI grade D). Median debt of $27,000. The D grade reflects the structural biology path: most biology graduates at small liberal arts colleges who don't immediately enter medical or graduate school face a difficult early career. The four-year jump to $71k indicates graduate or professional school completion in the cohort. Students planning medical school should factor the full cost of additional training into their financial model.
International Relations
International Relations (16 graduates) earns $20,939 year-one and $63,770 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio 1.289 (ROI grade F). The F grade reflects the severe year-one earnings gap: $20,939 against $27,000 debt is acutely difficult. The four-year trajectory to $64k suggests career development or graduate school completion. Students choosing international relations at SJU should plan for a financially difficult early career period and budget for possible additional credentials.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 88.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 92.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 90.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 94.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Johns 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
| Acceptance rate | 90.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 438-593 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 503-635 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,395 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 18.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,973 |
SJU's 90.6% admission rate and wide SAT ranges reflect an access orientation. The test score spread of 438-593 Math is large - this is not a credential-selecting school but a mission-selecting one. The 5.8-year payback and 92% repayment rate suggest that students who fit the campus culture and complete their degree typically achieve strong financial outcomes relative to their debt, even at a $55,816 sticker with aggressive discounting.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
SJU's repayment rate is 92%, which indicates graduate earnings strength that the six-year average alone understates.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Johns University (this school) | 83 | $25,672 | $76,786 |
| Linfield University | 84 | $26,536 | $78,638 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | 81 | $30,378 | $78,812 |
| Immaculata University | 79 | $24,258 | $75,701 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
Who Thrives Here
SJU admits 90.6% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 438-593 Math and 503-635 Reading, ACT 21-27. At 1,395 students (men's college), SJU offers a small Benedictine campus community in central Minnesota. Students drawn to SJU typically value the Catholic intellectual tradition, the CSB/SJU partnership academic program, and the cohesive campus community. The 92% repayment rate reflects a graduate population that earns enough to comfortably service their debt - a signal of both alumni network strength and program quality that the modest earnings figures alone don't fully capture.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Saint Johns University pays off. You'd pay about $25,672 a year after aid ($102,688 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $76,786 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.8 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 75.4% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $49,600 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 Johns University: Common Questions
Is Saint Johns University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Saint Johns University pays off. It scores 83/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $25,672 a year after aid ($102,688 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $76,786 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.8 years to earn back.
How much does Saint Johns University 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 $25,672 a year, or roughly $102,688 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 Johns University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $76,786 ten years after enrolling, roughly $34,986 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 Johns 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 5.8 years for Saint Johns University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Saint Johns University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $49,600 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 Johns University?
The six-year graduation rate is 75.4%, 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.