University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana · Private Nonprofit · 96.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 50/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne earns a CampusROI score of 50 (Below Average Value tier). Sticker tuition is $36,460 against a net price of $18,196 - a 50% institutional discount. Average earnings six years after entry are $36,200, climbing to a median $55,362 at ten years, with a 10.5-year payback period (subscore 59). The earnings premium subscore of 62 (raw 0.28) is the school's brightest signal - graduates do earn meaningfully more than baseline, driven heavily by the strong nursing pipeline. The drag on the score is debt-to-earnings: $25,976 in median debt against $36,200 in earnings produces a 0.718 ratio (subscore 25). Saint Francis enrolls 1,567 students with a 43.9% Pell rate, indicating a meaningfully lower-income population. The school's Franciscan mission focuses on healthcare professions, and the nursing program (103 graduates per year at $74K year-one earnings) is the value-driving asset.
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,460/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,460/yr |
| Average net price | $18,196/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $72,784 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,362 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,976 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $275 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,567 |
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: $36,460/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,196/year, or roughly $72,784 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 $12,720/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,373/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,976, which works out to about $275 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,200) and comes to 0.72, 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 | $12,720 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,392 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,525 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,248 |
| $110,001+ | $24,373 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $12,720 per year, totaling about $50,880 over four years. The 30-48K bracket pays slightly less ($12,392) - a typical pattern. With $36,200 in early-career earnings and the strong nursing track available, Pell-eligible students who complete see workable ROI. The institutional aid commitment is meaningful for this population.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $15,525 per year, about $62,100 over four years. With $55,362 in ten-year median earnings, middle-bracket students see solid ROI especially in nursing or business tracks where year-one earnings clear $50K. The Catholic-college environment adds non-financial value for fit students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,373 per year - about $97,492 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $81,680 | B |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $46,695 | C |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $27,684 | D |
| Biology | $72,008 | B |
| Social Work | $43,989 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $36,684 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $70,794 | - |
| Music | $31,373 | - |
| Design and Applied Arts | $40,619 | 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 Saint Francis's flagship program and the school's clearest ROI standout. With 103 graduates per year, year-one earnings of $74,478 climbing to $81,680 at year four, and median debt of $30,849, the program produces a 0.414 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. Fort Wayne's regional hospital networks (Parkview, Lutheran) absorb most graduates with strong starting wages. The scale of this program (103 grads against the school's 1,567 enrollment) shapes the institution's overall ROI position.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Allied Health produces 26 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $38,878 and four-year earnings of $46,695. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.694 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. The program funnels students into radiology techs, respiratory therapy, and other regional healthcare-support roles - stable wages but more modest than nursing's RN pipeline.
Biology
Biology produces 13 graduates per year with four-year median earnings of $72,008 and median debt of just $27,000, yielding a 0.375 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade - strong fundamentals. Year-one earnings aren't reported, but the four-year figure suggests successful placement into medical/PA/pharmacy programs or graduate research roles.
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual and Performing Arts produces 15 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $27,684. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.975 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The arts-economy wage compression is real here; Saint Francis's strong art programs build creative skill, but the financial outcomes for bachelor's-level arts graduates remain structurally difficult.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts produces 4 graduates per year - a very small program - with year-one earnings of $35,439 and four-year earnings of $40,619. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.762 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The small graduate count makes individual outcomes vary widely; the field's typical wage compression applies here as elsewhere.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne’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 | 96.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-530 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-540 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,567 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,265 |
Saint Francis admits 96% of applicants - essentially open access. SAT 25-75 mid-ranges are 430-530 math and 440-540 reading, with ACT 25-75 of 17-24 - modest test scores reflecting a broad academic profile. The combination of near-universal admission with 55% completion shows the regional-Catholic-college pattern: open admission, moderate retention, with completion serving as the binding constraint. Prepared students who finish, particularly in nursing, see strong wage outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne (this school) | 50 | $18,196 | $55,362 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Grand View University | 48 | $21,774 | $52,824 |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul | 47 | $27,705 | $50,755 |
| Bethel University | 34 | $18,610 | $48,860 |
| Anderson University | 32 | $25,021 | $48,899 |
Who Thrives Here
Saint Francis fits students seeking a Franciscan-Catholic education in northeast Indiana at small-college scale (1,567 students). The 43.9% Pell rate signals a heavily lower-income population. Strong-fit students are those targeting the nursing or allied-health programs, where year-one earnings (nursing at $74K) make the financing math comfortably workable. For students in arts or design, the wage outcomes weaken substantially, and the school's value proposition narrows. The Catholic-mission framework appeals to faith-aligned students and families.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $18,196 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $55,362 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.5 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 to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $25,976 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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.
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne: Common Questions
Is University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne scores 50/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,196 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $55,362 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.5 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 Saint Francis-Fort Wayne 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 $18,196 a year, or roughly $72,784 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 Saint Francis-Fort Wayne graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $55,362 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,562 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 Saint Francis-Fort Wayne?
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 10.5 years for University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,976, against average earnings of $36,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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 University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.0%. 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.
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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.