Mount Marty University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Mount Marty University charges a net price of $22,227/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $88,908. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,179, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Mount Marty University does not clear its cost — it ranks #12 of 17 South Dakota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $22,227/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $88,908 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,179 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$181/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,396 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$92,528 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Mount Marty University's own numbers. Net price $22,227 × 4 years = $88,908 total. Median earnings $48,179 fall $181 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $88,908 bill in about 8.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Mount Marty University students graduate with?
A median $26,396 in federal loans among completers, or 55% of the $48,179 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Mount Marty University students graduate?
52% finish their degree — 48% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $88,908 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $170,977 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Mount Marty University expensive compared with other South Dakota colleges?
Its $22,227 net price runs $2,492 above the $19,735 median across the 17 South Dakota colleges we profile, or $9,968 more across the full degree.