Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri · Private Nonprofit · 75.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 80/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Louis University is a private Jesuit research university in Missouri with 7,267 students and a Strong Value score of 80. SLU manages to score well despite high sticker tuition ($55,760) because its net price is a manageable $24,398 and its completion rate is 79.5%. Average earnings at six years are $47,000. The 6.6-year payback period is competitive. The program mix is diverse: Kinesiology (117 graduates), Nursing (220 graduates), Mechanical Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering all deliver reasonable returns. The school's main weakness is program-level variation. The 16.9% Pell rate reflects a relatively affluent student body.
Saint Louis University scores in the top 13% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Saint Louis University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $55,760/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $55,760/yr |
| Average net price | $24,398/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $97,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $70,783 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $47,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 79.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,267 |
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: $55,760/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,398/year, or roughly $97,592 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 $22,501/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,466/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($47,000) and comes to 0.53, 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 | $22,501 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,854 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,880 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,702 |
| $110,001+ | $27,466 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $22,501 per year at SLU. Over four years that totals roughly $90,000. For nursing students who earn $70,226 in year one, the payback is manageable. For students in lower-earning programs, however, this price point creates real financial strain.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-48,000 bracket pays $21,854; the $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $21,880; the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $21,702. Notably, net price is nearly flat across these three income bands - SLU's aid structure creates essentially the same cost for families earning $30k-110k. This compressed range means middle-income families get the same deal as near-poor families, which is unusual and arguably inequitable.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110k+) pay $27,466 - only $5,764 more than the middle-income brackets. SLU's aid structure is relatively compressed. At this price point against $47,000 average six-year earnings, the financial case is decent for strong earner programs but thin for lower-earning tracks.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Louis University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $81,525 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $77,066 | B+ |
| Biology | $65,517 | D |
| Psychology | $58,862 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $93,647 | B |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $22,459 | F |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $29,092 | D |
| Marketing | $72,251 | C |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $70,351 | B |
| Public Health | $63,652 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is SLU's largest program with 220 graduates per year. First-year earnings are $70,226 and four-year earnings are $81,525. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.356 with a B grade. SLU is embedded in the St. Louis metro healthcare market with connections to SSM Health, Mercy, and BJC HealthCare - three major hospital systems that employ SLU nursing graduates. The BSN from a Jesuit research university carries credibility for specialty unit placement and graduate nursing programs. At $24,398 net price, the return on nursing is reasonable.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering at SLU produces 36 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $74,209 and four-year earnings of $99,331. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.346 with a B+ grade. St. Louis has aerospace and defense manufacturing presence that creates demand for mechanical engineers. SLU's Parks College of Engineering also has connections to aviation-related employers given its aerospace program.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is one of SLU's stronger business programs with 89 graduates per year, first-year earnings of $60,055, and four-year earnings of $93,647. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.354 with a B grade. St. Louis has a financial services sector anchored by Edward Jones, Centene, and regional banking networks. SLU's Chaifetz School of Business has employer relationships that help place graduates into internships and entry-level roles. The four-year earnings trajectory of $93,647 is strong for a Midwest private school and suggests graduates who persist in financial services careers see solid income growth.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 81.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 81.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Louis 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 | 75.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 600-710 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-700 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-31 |
| Enrollment | 7,267 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,423 |
SLU admits 75% of applicants. SAT math 25th-75th runs 600-710 and reading 600-700; ACT runs 25-31. The 25th percentile reflects a broad academic range.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
SLU's payback is 6.6 years.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis University (this school) | 80 | $24,398 | $70,783 |
| Marquette University | 83 | $31,487 | $78,257 |
| Quinnipiac University | 79 | $40,675 | $83,759 |
| Seton Hall University | 73 | $31,446 | $70,196 |
| Avila University | 51 | $16,053 | $52,773 |
| Mission University | 15 | $21,383 | $38,641 |
Who Thrives Here
SLU attracts students seeking a Jesuit research university in the Midwest with strong pre-professional programs. SAT math runs 600-710 and reading 600-700; ACT composite runs 25-31. Students entering nursing, engineering, or pre-pharmacy have clear paths to above-average earnings. Students entering biology as pre-med need strong graduate placement rates - the raw four-year earnings of $65,517 for biology do not capture the medical school pipeline.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Saint Louis University pays off. You'd pay about $24,398 a year after aid ($97,592 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $70,783 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.6 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 79.5% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $47,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, 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 Louis University: Common Questions
Is Saint Louis University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Saint Louis University pays off. It scores 80/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $24,398 a year after aid ($97,592 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $70,783 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.6 years to earn back.
How much does Saint Louis 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 $24,398 a year, or roughly $97,592 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 Louis University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $70,783 ten years after enrolling, roughly $28,983 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 Louis 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 6.6 years for Saint Louis University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Saint Louis University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $47,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53. 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 Louis University?
The six-year graduation rate is 79.5%, 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.
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.