University of Northwestern-St Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit · 93.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 47/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Northwestern-St Paul, a Christian (evangelical) private-nonprofit in the Twin Cities, scores 47 (Below Average Value). The two standout sub-scores are completion (75 out of 100, with 68.1% finishing) and repayment (87, with 85.3% paying down principal at three years). These suggest UNW does meaningful persistence and post-graduation support work. Where the school struggles is earnings: earnings of $35,200 at six years and $50,755 at ten years against $21,325 median debt produce a 0.606 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 15.9-year payback period. Sticker tuition is $37,920, with net price $27,705 - the net price exceeds the $21,325 median debt, indicating substantial out-of-pocket family contribution beyond loans. Four-year total cost is $110,820. Pell rate of 15.7% is low - middle- to upper-middle-income student body. The Bible/Biblical Studies program is the largest by a wide margin (167 graduates), so the institutional earnings average reflects a heavy ministry-track student body more than program quality across STEM and business tracks (which actually post B grades).
How University of Northwestern-St Paul 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.
- Payback period15.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Northwestern-St Paul
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $37,920/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,920/yr |
| Average net price | $27,705/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $110,820 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,755 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,325 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $226 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,442 |
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: $37,920/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,705/year, or roughly $110,820 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 $26,696/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $31,348/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,325, which works out to about $226 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,200) and comes to 0.61, 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 | $26,696 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,884 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,689 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,267 |
| $110,001+ | $31,348 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $26,696 net - substantial despite Pell. Four-year cost is over $106,700, against $50,755 in 10-year median earnings. The math is hard even at the best-priced bracket: four-year cost more than doubles 10-year earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $21,689 - actually less than the $30,001-$48,000 bracket's $23,884 and the under-$30K bracket's $26,696. That is an unusual inverted pattern where middle-income pays the least; likely reflects strong institutional merit aid for middle-income students. Four-year cost is roughly $86,800, still well above 10-year earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $25,267, jumping sharply to $31,348 for $110,000+ families. Net price doubles between middle-income and top-tier. Four-year cost at the top is $125,400. For high-income families this is essentially a values-driven full-pay decision; the financial math depends entirely on choosing high-ROI majors like nursing or accounting.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Northwestern-St Paul with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $51,761 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $78,661 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $68,086 | B |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $47,802 | C |
| Psychology | $46,555 | C |
| Teacher Education | $45,195 | C |
| Biology | $31,547 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,885 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $50,708 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $48,082 | 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.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies is the largest program by far at 167 graduates earning $41,123 in year one and $51,761 by year four against $24,500 debt - a 0.596 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade. Reasonable earnings for a ministry-track credential reflect graduates moving into church staff, parachurch, and Christian-nonprofit administration roles. PSLF eligibility helps debt management.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produces 54 graduates earning $75,121 in year one and $78,661 by year four against $31,000 debt (0.413 ratio, B grade). Twin Cities healthcare market (Allina, Fairview, HealthPartners) drives strong starting wages.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 30 graduates earning $54,588 in year one and $68,086 by year four against $21,895 debt - a 0.401 ratio and B grade.
Accounting
Accounting produces 7 graduates - a small cohort - earning $62,603 in year one and $77,128 by year four against $25,874 debt (0.413 ratio, B grade). CPA-track placement with Twin Cities regional accounting firms drives strong earnings. The small graduate count limits statistical significance but the outcomes are encouraging.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological/Ministerial Studies produces 20 graduates earning $32,815 in year one and $47,802 by year four against $22,000 debt - a 0.670 ratio and C grade. Solid four-year earnings growth reflects graduates moving into pastoral and parachurch leadership roles where PSLF eligibility supports debt management.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 83.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 85.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 86.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Northwestern-St Paul’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 | 93.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 438-663 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 430-608 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-28 |
| Enrollment | 1,442 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,608 |
UNW admits 93.5% of applicants - broadly accessible. SAT mid-ranges (Math 438-663, Reading 430-608) and ACT 20-28 reflect a wide academic band with a competitive 75th-percentile cohort. Prepared applicants face nearly automatic admission with reasonable odds of finishing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UNW's score is 47.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Northwestern-St Paul (this school) | 47 | $27,705 | $50,755 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Bridgewater College | 49 | $17,800 | $53,453 |
| Delaware Valley University | 46 | $28,278 | $55,838 |
| William Jessup University | 45 | $28,062 | $56,257 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
Who Thrives Here
UNW fits Christian students from across the upper Midwest drawn to a 1,442-student evangelical liberal-arts environment, especially future ministry workers, teachers, nurses, business professionals, and Christian media-and-communication professionals. Pell rate of 15.7% is unusually low - mostly middle- and upper-middle-class students who can carry net price out of pocket. The institutional outcomes are strongest in nursing, accounting, and business administration; weakest in arts and humanities. Best fit for students with clear faith-and-career plans willing to invest substantially.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Northwestern-St Paul is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $27,705 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $50,755 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 15.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: its 68.1% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,325 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, 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.
University of Northwestern-St Paul: Common Questions
Is University of Northwestern-St Paul worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Northwestern-St Paul scores 47/100 on our ROI scale. At $27,705 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $50,755 ten years after entry, so it takes about 15.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Northwestern-St Paul 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 $27,705 a year, or roughly $110,820 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 University of Northwestern-St Paul graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,755 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,955 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 University of Northwestern-St Paul?
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 15.9 years for University of Northwestern-St Paul. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Northwestern-St Paul graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,325, against average earnings of $35,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. 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 University of Northwestern-St Paul?
The six-year graduation rate is 68.1%, 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.
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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.