Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana · Private Nonprofit · 72.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 21/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College scores 21 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale, a result that reflects compounding problems in the data: a 46.6% completion rate, $28,300 average 6-year earnings, and a payback period of 30.2 years. Fewer than half of students who enroll finish. Those who do graduate leave with a median debt of $19,512 against earnings that make repayment slow - only 58.3% of borrowers are reducing their principal after three years. Net price averages $31,872 per year, which is high relative to outcomes; sticker tuition is $35,270. The aid formula produces an unusual result: the 30001-48000 income band pays $36,071, more than the 0-30000 band ($33,513) and more than higher-income brackets. Pell grant participation is high at 49.9%, indicating the student body is drawn substantially from lower-income families, which makes the poor completion rate especially consequential - students taking on debt without finishing a degree face the worst possible outcome. The best program by outcomes is Registered Nursing (20 graduates, $69,460 year-one, $71,970 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.46), but even that comes with $31,931 in median debt, producing only a C+ ROI grade.
How Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 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 Score21/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period30.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,270/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,270/yr |
| Average net price | $31,872/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $127,488 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,845 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,512 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $207 |
| Estimated payback period | 30.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 853 |
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: $35,270/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $31,872/year, or roughly $127,488 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 $33,513/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,604/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,512, which works out to about $207 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,300) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $33,513 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $36,071 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $31,036 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,724 |
| $110,001+ | $26,604 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families in the 0-30000 income bracket pay $33,513 net price per year - a significant burden against outcomes that show $28,300 average 6-year earnings and a 30.2-year payback period. The aid formula does not appear to provide meaningful relief for the lowest-income students: $33,513 net price is the starting point, not a discounted floor. Low-income students who do not complete (a majority, given the 46.6% rate) face debt without a credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $31,036 per year, slightly below the school average. The 75001-110000 bracket pays $32,724. For middle-income families, the clearest earnings case comes from a specific program, such as the nursing track.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay the lowest net price in the schedule at $26,604 per year - about $106,000 over four years if completed. Even at this price point, a 30.2-year payback period and $28,300 average 6-year earnings represent a poor financial return.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education and Teaching | $43,577 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $71,970 | C+ |
| Psychology | $49,971 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $55,611 | C |
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
Registered Nursing is the strongest program at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods by earnings: 20 graduates, $69,460 year-one, $71,970 year-four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 earns a C+ grade - median debt of $31,931 is high relative to the other programs here and pulls the grade down. The year-four plateau near $72k suggests limited earnings growth in the early career window. Nursing graduates have clear employment prospects and the healthcare labor market in Indiana supports this field, but the debt load warrants scrutiny before enrollment.
Special Education and Teaching
Special Education and Teaching produces the most graduates (27) and earns $41,943 at year one, $43,577 at year four - a flat four-year trajectory that reflects teacher pay structures in Indiana. Debt-to-earnings of 0.554 (ROI grade C) means graduates are carrying meaningful debt relative to earnings that are unlikely to grow quickly. Students choosing this program primarily for vocation rather than financial return should understand that the payback timeline at these earnings levels against this debt is long.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 11 graduates with $44,481 year-one and $55,611 year-four earnings; debt-to-earnings of 0.558 earns a C grade. The four-year trajectory shows moderate growth but not enough to overcome the debt load. At a school with a 46.6% overall completion rate, only students with strong persistence intent should rely on projected four-year earnings figures.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 51.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 54.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 61.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’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 | 72.4% |
| Enrollment | 853 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,652 |
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods admits 72.4% of applicants, placing it in the accessible tier. Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT score ranges for this institution. The open admission profile means academic credentials are unlikely to be a barrier; the greater risk factor for prospective students is the institution's low 46.6% completion rate, which means over half of admitted students do not graduate. Prospective students should ask about the reasons for non-completion and what support structures exist.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (this school) | 21 | $31,872 | $43,845 |
| Bethel University | 34 | $18,610 | $48,860 |
| Anderson University | 32 | $25,021 | $48,899 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Tusculum University | 21 | $21,131 | $44,367 |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | 19 | $29,439 | $40,664 |
Who Thrives Here
With 853 enrolled students and a 72.4% admission rate, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is a small, accessible private institution in rural Indiana. Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT score ranges. Nearly half of students receive Pell grants, reflecting a majority lower-income student body. The college draws students primarily interested in nursing, education, and human services programs. The low completion rate (46.6%) suggests that many students who start do not finish, which is a significant risk factor for anyone considering enrollment, particularly those taking on debt. Students who are confident in their intent to complete and are specifically drawn to healthcare or education tracks have the best odds of a favorable outcome.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College scores 21/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $31,872 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,845 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 30.2 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 46.6% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 58.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,512 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 Mary-of-the-Woods College: Common Questions
Is Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College scores 21/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $31,872 a year after aid against $43,845 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 30.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 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 $31,872 a year, or roughly $127,488 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 Mary-of-the-Woods College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,845 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,045 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 Mary-of-the-Woods 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 about 30.2 years for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,512, against average earnings of $28,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 Mary-of-the-Woods College?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.6%. 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.