Students at Mount Saint Mary College achieve earnings that significantly exceed expectations, reflecting one of the strongest financial advantages among small private colleges nationwide.
The combination of higher-than-expected earnings and solid outcomes for low-income students demonstrates the college's ability to deliver meaningful career preparation across diverse student backgrounds.
Mount Saint Mary College ranks among the top 15% of institutions nationwide for long-term earnings outcomes, delivering strong financial returns despite its small size and private college setting. Located in Newburgh, New York, this private nonprofit institution serves about 2,100 students with a focus on professional programs that lead directly to stable, well-paying careers. Nearly 30% of students receive Pell Grants and 37% are first-generation college students, showing the college's commitment to serving diverse backgrounds while maintaining strong academic standards.
What distinguishes Mount Saint Mary College is how effectively it translates a small college experience into meaningful career outcomes. Graduates earn a median of $67,705 ten years after enrollment, with many programs—especially nursing—delivering earnings that significantly exceed national averages for similar institutions. The college's nursing program alone graduates 160 students annually with median earnings of $84,085, creating a substantial economic engine that drives the institution's overall strong performance.
As a small private college in the Hudson Valley, Mount Saint Mary College offers the personalized attention and close-knit community that many students seek, while delivering the kind of career preparation and financial outcomes typically associated with much larger institutions. For families willing to invest in private education, the college provides a compelling combination of individual attention and measurable long-term value.
Mount Saint Mary College's program portfolio centers heavily on nursing and business, with healthcare fields driving the strongest financial outcomes. The Adult Health Nursing program dominates both enrollment and earnings, graduating 160 students annually who earn a median of $84,085 ten years out—substantially higher than the institutional average and reflecting strong regional demand for healthcare professionals. This single program creates the economic engine that drives much of the college's overall strong performance.
Business programs provide more moderate but still solid outcomes, with Business Administration graduates earning around $39,153 and Accounting majors achieving similar results at $39,369. While these earnings are more modest than nursing, they represent reasonable returns for business fields and reflect the college's focus on practical, career-oriented education that prepares students for immediate employment after graduation.
The concentration in nursing and healthcare fields reflects both regional employment opportunities and the college's strategic focus on high-demand professional programs. With healthcare employment growing throughout the Hudson Valley and greater New York metropolitan area, Mount Saint Mary College's nursing graduates enter a robust job market with clear advancement pathways. This program focus allows the small college to punch above its weight in terms of graduate outcomes, creating substantial value for students who can access these high-return fields.
Mount Saint Mary College delivers exceptionally strong financial outcomes for graduates, with median earnings of $67,705 ten years after enrollment placing the institution in the top 15% nationally. Graduates also earn about $4,615 more than similar students at comparable institutions, demonstrating the college's ability to add meaningful value beyond what would be expected based on student characteristics alone. This earnings advantage reflects both the quality of academic programs and the college's focus on career-oriented fields that lead to stable, well-compensated employment.
The college's strongest financial returns come from its nursing program, which represents the largest single contributor to graduate success. Adult Health Nursing graduates—160 students annually—earn a median of $84,085 ten years out, substantially higher than the institutional average and reflecting the strong demand for healthcare professionals in the New York metropolitan area. Business Administration, the college's second-largest program with 51 graduates, produces more moderate earnings around $39,153, while Accounting graduates see similar outcomes at $39,369. This pattern shows how program choice significantly impacts financial outcomes, with healthcare fields providing the strongest earning potential.
The college's small size allows for focused attention on high-return career paths, particularly in nursing and other health-related fields where graduates can immediately enter well-paying positions with clear advancement opportunities. Mount Saint Mary College's location in the Hudson Valley provides access to both New York City's extensive healthcare system and the growing medical facilities throughout the region, creating strong employment pipelines for graduates in these high-demand fields.
Mount Saint Mary College's affordability varies significantly by family income, reflecting typical private college pricing patterns. Low-income students pay about $12,704 annually after aid, which represents strong affordability for a private institution and places the college well below many peer schools. Middle-income families face higher costs at $22,389 per year, while high-income families pay $28,745 annually, representing the full private college experience but still competitive with similar institutions in the region.
The college's financial aid strategy focuses heavily on supporting lower-income students while maintaining accessibility for middle-class families. With nearly 30% of students receiving Pell Grants, the institution demonstrates a commitment to economic diversity, though the pricing structure means that middle and upper-middle-income families bear a larger share of costs. This approach allows the college to maintain its small class sizes and personalized attention while ensuring that students from various economic backgrounds can access the education.
Debt levels reflect the private college environment, with typical graduates carrying $26,007 in federal student loans and families often supplementing with $31,765 in Parent PLUS loans. However, the college's strong earnings outcomes help justify these borrowing levels—with median earnings of $67,705 ten years out, most graduates can manage standard repayment comfortably. The college also maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, indicating that graduates successfully transition into careers that support their educational investments.
Mount Saint Mary College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
