Degree Dividend
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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College vs Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis: which has better ROI?

Private nonprofit, Saint Mary of the Woods IN · vs · Private for-profit, Carmel IN

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College comes closer — median earnings $43,845 against a $127,488 total, vs $31,963 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureSaint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeAveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Net price / yr$31,872$24,096
Total net cost$127,488$96,384
Median earnings, 10 yrs$43,845$31,963
Median debt$19,512$7,389
Payback——
20-year net return-$217,788-$424,324

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis?

Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis, at $24,096 a year after aid versus $31,872 — a gap of $7,776 a year, or $31,104 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis graduates earn more?

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College graduates report a median $43,845 ten years after entry, $11,882 more than the $31,963 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.

Which leaves students with less debt, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis?

Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis: its completers carry a median $7,389 in federal loans versus $19,512 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, a difference of $12,123. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

88% of students finish at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis, against 47% at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College vs Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis: frequently asked questions

Is Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis a better value?
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis?
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis: $24,096/yr net price after aid versus $31,872/yr at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College — a difference of $7,776 a year, or about $31,104 over four years.
Do Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College or Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis graduates earn more?
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College graduates earn a median $43,845 ten years after entry, versus $31,963 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis — a $11,882 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.