Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit · 92.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 77/100 · Strong Value
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a small Lasallian Catholic private in Winona, scores 77 out of 100 -- a Strong Value tier rating that stands out among small Christian liberal-arts colleges in this dataset. The story is institutional discounting: sticker tuition is $45,080, but net price drops to just $11,704, producing a four-year total cost of only $46,816. That is comparable to public-university pricing despite the private-college experience. Median earnings six years after entry are $42,600, climbing to $58,170 at year ten. Median debt is $21,500 against a 0.505 debt-to-earnings ratio. Payback period is 8.1 years -- well below national norms. Completion rate is 66% (good) and repayment is 79% (good). The 0.495 earnings premium is the biggest driver of the score. The program data shows real strength in business administration, finance, marketing, accounting, and criminal justice, with several B/B+ grades. For a small Christian college, Saint Mary's MN delivers ROI numbers that compete with strong publics.
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota scores in the top 25% of all schools we track, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $45,080/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $45,080/yr |
| Average net price | $11,704/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $46,816 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,170 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 66.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,073 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is $45,080/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $11,704/year, or roughly $46,816 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,182/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $6,135/year.
The median graduate leaves with $21,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $228 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $58,170 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.51 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $16,182 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,175 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,030 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,771 |
| $110,001+ | $6,135 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $16,182 net annually -- meaningful institutional aid against the $45,080 sticker, but slightly higher than the schoolwide $11,704 average. Pell + state grants help. Four-year exposure of about $65,000 against $42,600 median earnings is workable, especially for students in the strong business or finance programs. This is a defensible affordability play for low-income Upper Midwest students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $15,175, the $48,001-$75,000 bracket $15,030, and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket $14,771 -- remarkably flat net pricing across middle-income tiers. Four-year cost runs roughly $59,000-$61,000. Saint Mary's MN's institutional aid is doing real progressive work for middle-income families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay just $6,135 net per year -- LOWER than every other income bracket, including the lowest. This is a clear inverted bracket that we are flagging. The most likely explanation: a heavily merit-based aid pool that benefits academically prepared applicants whose families filed FAFSA but did not qualify for need-based aid. Either way, high-income families considering Saint Mary's MN should explicitly run the net price calculator -- the published average sharply understates what they would actually pay, and the school's effective price is dramatically lower than its sticker.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $74,942 | C+ |
| Psychology | $43,805 | - |
| Finance and Financial Management | $74,642 | C+ |
| Marketing | $76,285 | B+ |
| Human Resources Management | $83,079 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $79,464 | B |
| Accounting | $73,887 | C+ |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $66,139 | C+ |
| Information Science | $25,534 | D |
| Teacher Education | $40,804 | - |
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 admin is Saint Mary's MN's largest program at 41 graduates: $56,290 first-year earnings, $74,942 by year four, $29,482 median debt, and a 0.524 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C+ grade. Twin Cities corporate placement (Target, 3M, US Bank, Mayo) drives the year-four earnings ramp. Strong ROI on a private-college net price that's effectively public-tier.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance produces 16 graduates with $58,451 first-year earnings rising to $74,642 by year four, $27,000 median debt, and a 0.462 ratio for a C+ grade. Strong placement into Twin Cities banking and insurance roles. The earnings outcomes here justify Saint Mary's effective net price for ROI-focused finance students.
Marketing
Marketing produces 16 graduates with $55,158 first-year earnings, $76,285 by year four, and just $18,735 in median debt -- a remarkable 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B+ grade. The low debt combined with strong earnings makes this one of Saint Mary's strongest ROI tracks. Twin Cities agencies and corporate marketing teams absorb graduates well.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 12 graduates with $64,894 first-year earnings -- unusually high for a CJ program and likely reflecting placements into federal and state-level positions in Minnesota -- rising to $79,464 by year four. $28,708 median debt and a 0.442 ratio earn a B grade. One of Saint Mary's standout ROI programs.
Information Science
Information Science produces 11 graduates with $25,534 first-year earnings, $21,999 median debt, and a 0.862 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. Year-four earnings are not reported. The first-year earnings figure is weak relative to other tech-adjacent programs at Saint Mary's, suggesting the program may serve a specific career niche (library science, archival work) rather than general IT employment. Students should investigate program focus before committing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 92.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,073 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,511 |
Admission rate is 92.78% -- effectively open access. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with test-optional admissions at small Catholic colleges. The 66% completion rate is meaningfully above the open-access baseline, suggesting Saint Mary's selects reasonably well from its applicant pool and supports students adequately to graduation. Student-to-faculty ratios at 1,073 enrollment are favorable.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Saint Mary's MN's peer set includes Augsburg University, Bethany Lutheran College, Mercy College of Ohio, Ursinus College, and Immaculata University. Augsburg (a Twin Cities Lutheran liberal-arts) and Ursinus (a strong PA liberal-arts) are the most direct functional peers; Saint Mary's sits between them on ROI -- ahead of Immaculata and Bethany Lutheran on most metrics, behind Ursinus on academic profile but ahead on net-price affordability. The combination of low net price and decent earnings makes Saint Mary's MN a stronger ROI value than its physical peers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (this school) | 77 | $11,704 | $58,170 |
| Immaculata University | 79 | $24,258 | $75,701 |
| Mercy College of Ohio | 73 | $17,989 | $65,409 |
| Ursinus College | 72 | $30,536 | $73,721 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Mary's MN fits Upper Midwest students seeking a small Catholic-Lasallian liberal-arts experience with strong business and pre-professional programs. Pell rate is 24.52% -- middle-class skew, with enrollment of 1,073 enabling genuine small-class instruction. The student profile that captures the strongest ROI: someone who arrives with reasonable academic prep, commits early to business, finance, marketing, accounting, or criminal justice, and benefits from the institution's high-quality undergrad teaching and strong placement networks in the Twin Cities and Rochester (Mayo Clinic).
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota delivers above-average financial returns for its graduates. At a net cost of $11,704 per year ($46,816 over four years), graduates earn a median of $58,170 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback period at roughly 8.1 years - a solid return on the investment.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates.
Median debt of $21,500 against $58,170 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.