University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, Kansas · Private Nonprofit · 86.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 58/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Saint Mary, a small Catholic liberal arts college in Leavenworth, Kansas, scores 58 on overall ROI (Below Average Value tier) - the upper edge of that tier. Tuition is $35,380, but USM discounts heavily: average net price is $22,519 (~$90,076 over four years). The numbers tell a tale-of-two-schools story: nursing graduates do extraordinarily well, while non-nursing students face mediocre outcomes. Median earnings six years out are $41,900, climbing to $59,483 by year ten - materially above national averages and largely powered by the nursing pipeline. The 9.4-year payback period is genuinely good, just inside the standard benchmark, and the 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio is reasonable. Median debt is $22,018. Completion is 48%, the weakest part of the profile and a meaningful drag on the overall score. The 73% three-year repayment rate is solid. USM is a real value pick if you can land in the nursing program - the Registered Nursing track posts B-grade ROI with $70K first-year earnings - but other programs cluster in D-grade territory. Major selection is decisive at this school.
University of Saint Mary
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,380/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,380/yr |
| Average net price | $22,519/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $90,076 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,483 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,018 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $233 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 925 |
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: $35,380/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $22,519/year, or roughly $90,076 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 $21,899/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,595/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,018 in federal loans, which works out to about $233 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $59,483 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.53, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $21,899 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,474 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,722 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,597 |
| $110,001+ | $26,595 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $21,899 net - still about $88,000 across four years. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays significantly LESS at $16,474 - a notable bracket inversion likely reflecting how Pell, KCG, and USM grants stack at that income level. Low-income families targeting nursing should run the full net price calculator; the math can pencil with the right aid mix.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $17,722 - still well below sticker - and $75,001-$110,000 pays $21,597. Across the middle range, four-year cost is roughly $71,000-$86,000. For nursing-bound middle-income students, the math works given $70K starting salaries. For non-nursing tracks, Kansas publics like Pittsburg State or Emporia State are materially cheaper.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,001 pay $26,595 - effectively full-pay at roughly $106,000 over four years. At this price for non-nursing majors, the math gets hard versus stronger Kansas privates (Benedictine) or out-of-state options. Nursing remains defensible at any income tier given the program's strong outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at University of Saint Mary with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $85,587 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $29,151 | D |
| Psychology | $44,902 | D |
| Biology | $66,649 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $42,633 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,570 | D |
| Teacher Education | $46,079 | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $39,893 | 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 USM's flagship and powers the institutional ROI story almost single-handedly. 62 graduates per cohort - the largest program by far - produce $70,349 first-year and $85,587 four-year median earnings against $29,000 median debt. The 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio yields a B ROI grade, the strongest on campus. Kansas City metro hospital systems and surrounding regional health networks absorb the pipeline. For nursing-bound students, USM is a defensible pick at this price.
Biology
Biology is a small program (13 graduates) with mixed signals: $34,718 first-year earnings climb to $66,649 by year four (the late-career number is strong), but $26,000 median debt against the early career produces a 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Pre-med/pre-PA students who plan grad school can use Biology as a launch pad; bachelor's-only graduates struggle financially in early career.
Psychology
Psychology shows a D ROI grade: $31,177 first-year earnings against $31,000 median debt produce a 0.99 debt-to-earnings ratio - graduates owe roughly as much as they earn in their first year. 17 graduates per cohort. Like most psychology bachelor's programs, real ROI requires graduate study, and at USM's price the bachelor's-only path is one of the weaker financial bets.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology earns a D ROI grade: $29,151 first-year earnings against $27,946 median debt produce a 0.96 debt-to-earnings ratio. 18 graduates per cohort. The credential is a common pre-PT/pre-OT pipeline, and graduates pursuing those grad school paths see strong long-term outcomes - but the bachelor's-only earnings ceiling here is constrained, especially at USM's net price.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 73.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Saint Mary’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 | 86.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 428-510 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 378-518 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 925 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,758 |
USM admits 87% of applicants, with SAT mid-ranges of 428-510 Math and 378-518 Reading, plus ACT 17-24. Test scores sit modestly below national medians, fitting USM's Catholic regional college profile serving Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska students. The 48% completion rate is consistent with that academic preparation profile but is the weakest leg of the ROI score. Students entering with stronger preparation, particularly those targeting the nursing program, see materially better completion outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers are well-matched. Benedictine College (Atchison, KS) is the closest geographic and mission peer - a stronger Catholic college on most metrics. Baker University in Kansas is similar in size and Methodist-affiliated. College of Our Lady of the Elms (MA), Trinity Christian College (IL), and Christian Brothers University (TN) are all small Catholic/Christian colleges with comparable Pell rates and outcomes. Across this peer set, USM lands in the middle on ROI - pulled up by nursing, pulled down by liberal arts - with Benedictine being the strongest in the cluster.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Saint Mary (this school) | 58 | $22,519 | $59,483 |
| Baker University | 65 | $25,301 | $63,855 |
| Christian Brothers University | 62 | $9,854 | $57,478 |
| Trinity Christian College | 58 | $19,125 | $55,700 |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms | 56 | $17,545 | $51,540 |
| Benedictine College | 45 | $27,891 | $53,175 |
Who Thrives Here
With 925 students and a 38% Pell rate, USM is small with a meaningful share of lower-income Kansas/Missouri students. The fit profile is sharp: students targeting the nursing program (62 graduates per cohort - a major institutional strength) who want a small Catholic-college experience close to the Kansas City metro. Non-nursing students should know they are entering a school where the academic identity and the financial outcomes are concentrated heavily in healthcare. Catholic-mission appeal, small classes, and proximity to KC employers are the secondary fit drivers.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Saint Mary is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $22,519 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,483 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 9.4 years to earn the cost back - slower than most four-year schools. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 47.8% graduation rate.
Median debt of $22,018 against $59,483 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Saint Mary: Common Questions
Is University of Saint Mary worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Saint Mary scores 58/100 on our ROI scale. At $22,519 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $59,483 ten years after entry, so it takes about 9.4 years to earn the cost back - slower than most four-year schools.
How much does University of Saint Mary cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $22,519 a year, or roughly $90,076 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Saint Mary graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,483 ten years after enrolling, roughly $17,683 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 Mary?
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 9.4 years for University of Saint Mary. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do University of Saint Mary graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $22,018, against $59,483 in typical earnings a decade out. 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 Saint Mary?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.8%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.