Saint Joseph Seminary College
St. Benedict, Louisiana · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Joseph Seminary College scores 25 (Below Benchmark) 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. 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.
How Saint Joseph Seminary College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped 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 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | N/A |
| 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, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $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.
The Department of Education does not report a median debt figure for this school, usually because too few students borrow federal loans for the figure to be published. Our ROI score gives this measure a neutral middle value rather than treating it as zero debt.
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 | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Joseph Seminary College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
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.
| 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's focus is formation rather than labor market outcomes. Admission data are not publicly reported. The ROI tier of Below Benchmark reflects the earnings and completion profile of graduates.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Saint Joseph Seminary College scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $45,460 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,366 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 47.8% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Saint Joseph Seminary College: Common Questions
Is Saint Joseph Seminary College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Saint Joseph Seminary College scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $45,460 a year after aid against $38,366 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Saint Joseph Seminary 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 $45,460 a year, or roughly $181,840 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 Joseph Seminary College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,366 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Saint Joseph Seminary 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 more than 50 years for Saint Joseph Seminary College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at Saint Joseph Seminary College?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.8%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.