Mount Marty University provides a supportive, close-knit environment where students from diverse backgrounds can complete their degrees successfully.
While earnings outcomes are modest, the university maintains strong loan repayment performance and delivers meaningful educational experiences in a values-based setting.
Mount Marty University is a small private nonprofit institution in Yankton, South Dakota, serving about 1,000 students in a close-knit campus environment. As a Catholic university with a strong liberal arts foundation, Mount Marty emphasizes personal attention and community engagement, with nearly one-third of students being first-generation college attendees and about 19% receiving Pell Grants.
The university's outcomes present a mixed picture. While graduates earn a median of $48,179 ten years after enrollment—roughly average for similar institutions—earnings tend to fall short of what similar students achieve at other colleges. This reflects both the regional job market in South Dakota and the university's program mix, which leans toward fields like education, social work, and liberal arts that typically offer strong personal fulfillment but more modest financial returns.
Mount Marty falls into the "Opportunity Builders" category for economic mobility, meaning it serves students from diverse backgrounds but faces challenges in delivering strong earnings outcomes. The university's strength lies in its supportive environment and graduation rates that exceed 60%, making it a solid choice for students who prioritize community, values-based education, and personal growth over maximum earning potential.
Mount Marty University's small size means it offers a focused set of programs rather than the broad array found at larger institutions. The university traditionally emphasizes education, nursing, social work, and liberal arts—fields that align with its Catholic mission of service but typically offer more modest financial returns than business or STEM disciplines.
While specific enrollment and earnings data for individual programs is limited due to the university's small scale, Mount Marty's graduates commonly enter careers in teaching, healthcare, social services, and nonprofit work. These fields provide meaningful career paths and stable employment but generally offer starting salaries in the $30,000-$45,000 range rather than the higher earnings potential found in technology, finance, or engineering.
The university's intimate size means smaller graduating classes in each field, which can limit alumni networking opportunities but ensures more personalized attention from faculty and career services. Students benefit from close mentorship relationships and hands-on learning experiences, though they should carefully consider how their chosen field's typical earnings align with the debt levels required to attend a private institution.
Mount Marty University graduates earn a median of $48,179 ten years after enrollment, which places the institution around the middle of the national distribution for similar colleges. However, graduates tend to earn about $13,650 less than what similar students achieve at other institutions, reflecting both the regional job market in South Dakota and the university's focus on fields that prioritize service over high salaries.
The university's program offerings center on education, social work, nursing, and liberal arts—fields that provide meaningful career paths but typically offer more modest financial returns than business or STEM disciplines. While specific program-level data is limited, Mount Marty's graduates often enter careers in teaching, healthcare, social services, and nonprofit work, where compensation is steady but not necessarily high-growth. The university's small size means fewer total graduates in any single field, which can limit networking opportunities but also ensures more personalized career guidance and faculty mentorship throughout the academic experience.
Mount Marty University's affordability varies significantly by family income level. Low-income students pay a net price of about $18,894 annually, which is competitive for a private institution, while middle- and high-income families face costs around $25,200 per year. These prices reflect the university's commitment to making private education accessible, though they still represent a substantial investment for most South Dakota families.
Debt levels require careful consideration. Typical graduates leave with about $26,396 in federal student loans, and families often add another $17,800 in Parent PLUS debt. While the university maintains a very low default rate of just 0.4%, the combination of moderate earnings and substantial debt means graduates need to budget carefully in their early career years. The university's strong loan repayment performance suggests most students successfully manage their obligations, but prospective families should realistically assess whether the debt load aligns with expected career earnings in their chosen field.
Mount Marty University Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
