Mount St. Mary's University

Emmitsburg, MD 1,768 Undergrads 64.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$63,731

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$22,655

After Aid

Median Earnings

$64,424

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,655

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$64,424

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$64,072

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate64.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age20.8

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients30.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time95.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS78.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

73.8%

SAT Avg

1,176

SAT Reading

25th: 543-75th: 660

SAT Math

25th: 503-75th: 620

ACT Composite

25th: 19-75th: 27

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$571k

+$104k

+$86k

Median Cost$23k/yr

+$489k

+$22k

+$5k

Full Cost$64k/yr

+$341k

-$125k

-$143k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$23k/yr

Full Cost$64k/yr

Never

-62%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
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

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 Return-25%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

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-71%

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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$81,796

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$26,312

Earnings (4yr)

$57,669

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$49k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$22,870

Earnings (4yr)

$87,360

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

+$181k

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

BachCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $85,063

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$60,428

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

-$27k

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,409

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$270k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$39,651

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$200k

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,459

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 5199

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,245

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$50,563

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$108k

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

BachCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,568

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$35,060

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

-$228k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Information Systems and Services

BachCIP: 5212

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,290

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$19,000

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Security Science and Technology

BachCIP: 4304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,805

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$57,290

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$52k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$54,677

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$73k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$23,250

Earnings (4yr)

$59,630

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$33k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Theological and Ministerial Studies

BachCIP: 3906

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Gr-CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $94,506

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

Gr-CertCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,444

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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. 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.