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Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA 1,719 Undergrads 61.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$66,726
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,413
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,546
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,413
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$79,546
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$72,379
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate61.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients56.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.1%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$687k
+$220k
+$202k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$610k
+$143k
+$125k
Full Cost$67k/yr
+$447k
-$20k
-$38k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
35
163%
Full Cost$67k/yr
Never
-16%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return62%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-46%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,075
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,875
Earnings (4yr)
$59,802
Natl Median: $51,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,668
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$18,069
Earnings (4yr)
$109,938
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$555k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$27,373
Earnings (4yr)
$74,449
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,194
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,940
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$29,036
Earnings (5yr)
$52,011
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Median Debt
$26,188
Earnings (4yr)
$47,091
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
BachCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,051
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$105,024
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,318
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,616
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (2yr)
$32,563
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,951
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,931
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$119,050
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$426k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,222
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,915
Earnings (4yr)
$59,575
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$109,544
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,430
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$40,999
Earnings (4yr)
$68,305
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$49,100
Earnings (4yr)
$79,053
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$173,420
Earnings (4yr)
$95,385
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.