Saint Joseph Seminary College
St. Benedict, Louisiana · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 25/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Joseph Seminary College scores 25 (Poor Value) on the CampusROI scale, with a 95.6-year payback period - the data's most honest signal about this institution's financial proposition. Median 10-year earnings sit at $38,366, which is low for any college graduate, and the net price of $45,460 per year is striking for a school with tuition listed at $28,025 - suggesting that room, board, and fees add substantial cost. The completion rate of 47.8% means fewer than half of enrollees finish a degree. This is a Catholic seminary college with 93 enrolled students; its mission is formation of priests and religious, not career earnings optimization, and the Scorecard data reflects that purpose.
The data raises concerns about Saint Joseph Seminary College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score25/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Saint Joseph Seminary College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $28,025/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,025/yr |
| Average net price | $45,460/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $181,840 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,366 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $0 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 93 |
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: $28,025/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 $45,460/year, or roughly $181,840 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 $42,549/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $49,944/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing N/A in federal loans, which works out to about $0 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $38,366 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to N/A, which we can't fully judge without more data.
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 | $42,549 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $46,799 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | $49,944 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families in the $0-30,000 income bracket face a net price of $42,549 per year - a heavy burden at any school, and especially striking given that the 10-year median earnings are $38,366. Pell grant rate of 10.1% indicates limited low-income enrollment relative to the financial profile.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $46,799 net price annually. At a net 4-year cost near $187,000 against $38,366 median 10-year earnings, the payback math does not work for families evaluating this school on financial terms. Middle-income families considering this school should understand it primarily as a vocational formation institution.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001+ bracket pays $49,944 annually. The financial proposition is the same regardless of income bracket: the Scorecard earnings data reflects a population of graduates many of whom enter religious life, where conventional income data does not capture the full picture. Full-pay families should weigh the mission-specific nature of this institution carefully.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Joseph Seminary College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 93 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 10.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,877 |
No admission rate or test score data are reported for this institution. Enrollment is small (93 students) and application is closely tied to discernment processes within the Catholic Church. Prospective students should contact the school directly and understand that this is a formational environment rather than a conventional degree-granting college.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The Scorecard places Saint Joseph Seminary College alongside Centenary College of Louisiana, Dillard University, Hebrew Theological College, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando, and Ecclesia College. These are all small, mission-driven institutions with limited Scorecard data. Hebrew Theological College, like Saint Joseph, is a religious formation institution where earnings data imperfectly captures outcomes. The comparison group is not particularly illuminating for financial analysis; all these schools serve narrow, vocation-specific populations.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Joseph Seminary College (this school) | 25 | $45,460 | $38,366 |
| Centenary College of Louisiana | 35 | $23,624 | $50,330 |
| Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando | 28 | $16,577 | $47,540 |
| Hebrew Theological College | 27 | $26,861 | $33,291 |
| Ecclesia College | 26 | $22,075 | $40,650 |
| Dillard University | 15 | $22,094 | $39,196 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Joseph Seminary College is a mission-specific institution primarily serving men discerning Catholic religious vocations. With 93 students enrolled and a program array oriented toward theology and formation, this school is not designed to optimize labor market outcomes. Admission data are not publicly reported. The ROI tier of Poor Value reflects the earnings and completion profile of graduates, but that framing is an imperfect fit for a seminary whose graduates often enter religious life rather than the conventional labor market.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Saint Joseph Seminary College are a real concern. With a net cost of $45,460 per year and the typical graduate earning only $38,366 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 47.8% graduation rate, a long payback period.
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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.