College of Saint Mary — ROI, Cost & Payback
College of Saint Mary charges a net price of $16,590/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $66,360. Graduates earn a median $54,338 ten years after entry, $5,978/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 11.1 years — a 20-year net return of $53,200, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
College of Saint Mary's 11.1-year payback ranks #836 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 35% of them, and #9 of 27 in Nebraska.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,590/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $66,360 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $54,338 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $5,978/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 11.1 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $53,200 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.