Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 78.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Leo University earns the Below Benchmark tier with an ROI score of 30 out of 100. The Saint Leo, Florida Catholic university operates a hybrid model with a 6,721 enrollment combining its main campus with a substantial online and education-center presence serving working adults and military families. Sticker tuition is $30,000, with a $21,293 net price after aid, putting four-year cost-of-attendance at $85,172. The 16.8-year payback period and 0.645 debt-to-earnings ratio (median debt $25,278 against average 6-year earnings of $39,200) reflect the school's broad working-adult enrollment base where outcomes are mixed. Median 10-year earnings of $48,364 show modest improvement. Computer science is a clear ROI winner; criminal justice (a strong program for military-connected students) and business administration are reasonable; humanities and social science majors face severe earnings-to-debt mismatches. Saint Leo's military-friendly programs and online flexibility are real differentiators that the data doesn't fully capture.
How Saint Leo University 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 Score30/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Saint Leo University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $30,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $30,000/yr |
| Average net price | $21,293/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $85,172 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,364 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,278 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $268 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,721 |
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: $30,000/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,293/year, or roughly $85,172 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 $19,602/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,780/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,278, which works out to about $268 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,200) and comes to 0.65, 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 | $19,602 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,699 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,823 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,707 |
| $110,001+ | $25,780 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30K pay $19,602 net annually, with $30,001-48,000 households paying less at $17,699. Four-year cost of $71K-$78K is workable for STEM and business completers but tight for liberal arts students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $19,823 to $23,707 net annually, with the lower band roughly flat to the $0-48K bracket. Four-year cost runs $79K-$95K. The math works for criminal justice and business completers using military or employer tuition support.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $25,780 net annually, or $103K over four years. At that price for a 6-year average income of $39,200, the case requires the student to be in CS, business, or criminal justice with employer or military tuition support. Otherwise the math points to in-state Florida publics.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Leo University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,505 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,389 | C |
| Psychology | $48,786 | D |
| Teacher Education | $49,634 | C+ |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $52,934 | C |
| Accounting | $66,056 | C |
| Computer Science | $72,645 | B |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $81,025 | C |
| Human Resources Management | $62,122 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $56,145 | D |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is one of Saint Leo's larger programs with 267 graduates per year. First-year median earnings of $54,167 climb to $67,505 by year four, against $28,875 median debt for a 0.533 debt-to-earnings ratio and C+ ROI grade. Many graduates are working adults completing the credential while employed, which compresses early-career earnings progression but provides a reasonable payback path.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice has 225 graduates per year, one of Saint Leo's signature programs given its military and law enforcement student population. First-year earnings of $47,853 climb to $60,389 by year four, with $30,500 median debt producing a 0.637 debt-to-earnings ratio and C ROI grade. Federal law enforcement and military advancement uses make this credential particularly portable in this population.
Computer Science
Computer Science at Saint Leo has 44 graduates per year. First-year earnings of $72,237 are nearly flat to $72,645 by year four, suggesting graduates land at strong starting salaries but show modest progression. With $25,972 median debt the 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade, the highest at the institution. Strong choice for military-connected students using GI Bill benefits.
Psychology
Psychology has 193 graduates per year and the math is rough at the bachelor's level. First-year earnings of $36,139 against $32,461 median debt produces a 0.898 debt-to-earnings ratio and D ROI grade. Year-four earnings of $48,786 show improvement but never normalize the picture. As elsewhere, psychology bachelor's holders face a graduate-school requirement to enter licensed clinical work.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education has 71 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $45,065 climbing to $49,634 by year four. With $23,937 median debt the 0.531 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C+ ROI grade. Florida public-school teacher salaries cap upside, but PSLF eligibility and the manageable debt make this a defensible track for committed future teachers.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 40.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 48.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 41.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 52.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Leo 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 | 78.4% |
| Enrollment | 6,721 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,688 |
Saint Leo admits 78.4% of applicants, classifying as moderately selective on its main residential campus.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Leo University (this school) | 30 | $21,293 | $48,364 |
| Arizona Christian University | 30 | $32,839 | $51,612 |
| Calvary University | 30 | $16,334 | $45,421 |
| Manhattan Christian College | 29 | $24,213 | $48,860 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Belhaven University | 29 | $15,676 | $46,440 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Leo fits military-connected students, working adults seeking flexible Catholic-affiliated education, and traditional residential students drawn to the central Florida campus. With 6,721 enrolled and a 32.5% Pell rate, the population skews more middle-class than other regional Catholics. Best fit for criminal justice or business students using the school's military partnerships and tuition assistance benefits, and for committed STEM-track residential students. Weak fit for liberal arts or humanities students given consistent F and D ROI grades in those tracks.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Saint Leo University scores 30/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $21,293 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,364 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.8 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 45.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 48.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,278 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Saint Leo University: Common Questions
Is Saint Leo University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Saint Leo University scores 30/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $21,293 a year after aid against $48,364 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Saint Leo 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 $21,293 a year, or roughly $85,172 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 Leo University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,364 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,564 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 Leo 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 16.8 years for Saint Leo University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Saint Leo University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,278, against average earnings of $39,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Saint Leo University?
The six-year graduation rate is 45.0%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.