Back to Colleges
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 1,458 Undergrads 74.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$66,478
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,292
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,406
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$25,292
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$69,406
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate74.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
76.0%
SAT Avg
1,246
SAT Reading
25th: 58058875th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 55057375th: 645
ACT Composite
25th: 262675th: 30
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
+$603k
+$143k
+$125k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$512k
+$52k
+$34k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$363k
-$97k
-$114k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
47
38%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-48%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-0%
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-65%
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
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,107
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,409
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,449
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,335
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,587
Nat: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
BachCIP: 2399
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $46,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $88,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,623
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,733
Earnings (4yr)
$58,218
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,396
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Nat: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,555
Nat: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,665
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Master's Degrees
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,514
Nat: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Doctoral Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $138,131
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, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.