Degree Dividend
Sourced from federal dataEvery figure datedNo rankings for sale

Saint Mary's College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Private nonprofit · Notre Dame, IN · 1,458 students

The verdict

Saint Mary's College charges a net price of $25,292/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $101,168. Graduates earn a median $59,354 ten years after entry, $10,994/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 9.2 years — a 20-year net return of $118,712, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

Share

Saint Mary's College's 9.2-year payback ranks #753 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 41% of them, and #15 of 56 in Indiana.

Better ROI than 41% of US colleges#753 of 1,280
Weakest ROIStrongest ROI
$25,292
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$59,354
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
9.2 yrs
Payback
Our math, 2026
76%
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Saint Mary's College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$25,292/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$101,168our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$59,354Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline$10,994/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$27,000Scorecard, 2026
Payback9.2 yrsour math
20-year net return$118,712our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Saint Mary's College's own numbers. Net price $25,292 × 4 years = $101,168 total. Median earnings $59,354 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $10,994 a year of premium. $101,168 ÷ $10,994 = 9.2 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $118,712. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.

How much debt do Saint Mary's College students graduate with?

A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 45% of the $59,354 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Saint Mary's College students graduate?

69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $101,168 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $146,620 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Saint Mary's College expensive compared with other Indiana colleges?

Its $25,292 net price runs $5,595 above the $19,698 median across the 56 Indiana colleges we profile, or $22,378 more across the full degree.

Saint Mary's College: frequently asked questions

Is Saint Mary's College worth the cost?
On the numbers, yes. Saint Mary's College charges $25,292/yr after aid ($101,168 over 4 years), and graduates earn a median $59,354 ten years out — $10,994/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. That clears the cost in 9.2 years and returns $118,712 net over 20 years, a solid payback.
How long does a Saint Mary's College degree take to pay off?
About 9.2 years. We divide the $101,168 four-year net cost by the $10,994/yr earnings premium over the high-school baseline. It is a floor, not a ceiling — mid-career raises pay it back faster.
How much does Saint Mary's College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $25,292/yr — about $101,168 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Saint Mary's College compare to other Indiana colleges?
It ranks #15 of 56 Indiana colleges we track by payback. Its $59,354 median earnings beat the national median of $43,549, and its $25,292 net price is above the national median of $16,902.