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Private nonprofit · 4-year

St. Mary's University

San Antonio, Texas

35
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Break-even
+$21,645 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

8.1 yrs
Break-even
+23%
10-year ROI
$56,554
Median earnings as of 2024
81% of St. Mary's University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$21,145
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$56,554
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$36,392
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$25,563
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
59%
Graduation rate as of 2024
81%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
63%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
73%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$21,645
After 10 years
$137,185
After 20 years
$252,725
After 30 years
$368,265
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$55,918
Men
$61,667

9% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$54,524
From higher-income families
$61,132

11% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$57,193
Independent students
$53,987

6% gap between the two groups

39%
First-generation students
46%
Take federal student loans
84%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 10%Hispanic 54%Asian 1%Black 2%Other 33%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$18,352
$30k–$48k$21,470
$48k–$75k$20,553
$75k–$110k$22,331
$110k+$24,649

How St. Mary's University compares

This college against the Texas and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of St. Mary's University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at St. Mary's University

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$81,824+771%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$83,119$25,389+640%Strong return
International Relations and National Security StudiesCertificate$88,214+411%Strong return
International Relations and National Security StudiesAssociate's$58,487+219%Strong return
LawDoctoral$87,931$145,002+212%Strong return
Political Science and GovernmentAssociate's$57,741$19,250+158%Strong return
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$56,554$22,625+129%Strong return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$56,849$27,000+127%Strong return
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's$54,049+114%Strong return
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$52,812$26,000+51%Break-even
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$50,255$27,000+1%Break-even
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's$45,608$25,000-88%Poor return
English Language and Literature, GeneralAssociate's$44,831$26,000-103%Poor return
CriminologyAssociate's$43,974$25,067-120%Poor return
MathematicsAssociate's$42,436-161%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at St. Mary's University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

98%
Admission rate
1,089
Average SAT
0
Median ACT
1,951
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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