Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #891 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $63,895, placing College of Saint Benedict in the 63.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #310 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- College of Saint Benedict's composite ranking reflects strong outcomes across multiple dimensions of student success. The institution delivers meaningful economic mobility for graduates while maintaining broad access to its programs.
Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #891 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Saint Joseph, Minnesota, College of Saint Benedict enrolls roughly 1,370 undergraduates. Retention stands at 86.3% and the six-year graduation rate is 77.1%, reflecting strong student persistence and degree completion. Where College of Saint Benedict performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #534 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $63,895, reflecting solid long-term financial outcomes anchored in the college's strength in Biological Sciences. The college's program portfolio emphasizes biological sciences and related health fields, which align with stable, well-compensated career pathways. Access and affordability round out the composite picture. College of Saint Benedict enrolls 19.9% Pell-eligible students and 21.4% first-generation undergraduates, positioning the college in the 4.1 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The college sits in the 26.1 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a private institution's cost structure balanced against need-based financial aid. Mobility outcomes place College of Saint Benedict in the 79.3 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, indicating that graduates move into sustainable career trajectories aligned with their educational preparation.
College of Saint Benedict's published cost of attendance is $68,453. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $12,981, middle-income families pay around $20,378, and higher-income families pay approximately $33,660. Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #1054 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. College of Saint Benedict's aid structure combines need-based grants with federal and institutional financing. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need through a combination of grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The gap between published cost and actual net price — particularly for lower-income families — reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid allocation. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,944, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,778; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $63,895, median federal debt of $26,944 projects to a monthly payment of about $304 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
College of Saint Benedict is a strong fit for students seeking a private liberal arts college experience in Minnesota, with a focus on the biological sciences and other STEM fields. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $63,895, placing College of Saint Benedict in the 63.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 19.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 21.4% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that support upward economic progress. Published cost of attendance is $33,660, with need-based aid available to help close the gap for qualifying families. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 91.5% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors STEM fields — Biological Sciences represents 9% of degrees. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find a strong earnings trajectory and supportive aid package. ---
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the College Of Saint Benedict hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
College of Saint Benedict's published cost of attendance is $68,453. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $12,981, middle-income families pay around $20,378, and higher-income families pay approximately $33,660.
Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #1054 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
College of Saint Benedict's aid structure combines need-based grants with federal and institutional financing. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs.
Families apply using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need through a combination of grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The gap between published cost and actual net price — particularly for lower-income families — reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid allocation.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,944, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,778; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $63,895, median federal debt of $26,944 projects to a monthly payment of about $304 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of College of Saint Benedict earn median 4-year earnings of $63,895, placing College of Saint Benedict in the 63.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $57,042 median at comparable institutions.
Azimuth ranks College of Saint Benedict #534 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings profile reflects College of Saint Benedict's concentration in Biological Sciences, a field where early-career outcomes tend to be moderate relative to higher-earning professional and quantitative disciplines.
The program lineup shows strength in biological and health-related fields. Nursing is the largest program with 50 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,492, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field.
The Psychology, General program graduates 48 students earning $57,475, while Biology, General produces 41 graduates at $60,050. These programs anchor the institution's degree output and represent the typical earnings trajectory for College of Saint Benedict graduates.
Communication and Media Studies and Teacher Education round out the top five, with graduates earning $64,430 and $51,487 respectively. The consistency across these programs suggests that College of Saint Benedict's outcomes are relatively stable across its primary academic portfolio, with earnings reflecting the regional labor market and field-specific demand in MN.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mount Mercy University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#24835 ranked) | IA | 83% | $60,787 | #24835 | Compare |
Wilkes University Similar quality tier (#24828 ranked) | PA | 91% | $63,454 | #24828 | Compare |
Centenary University Similar quality tier (#24827 ranked) | NJ | 83% | $53,726 | #24827 | Compare |
Herzing University-Kenosha Similar quality tier in Midwest (#24838 ranked) | WI | 92% | $36,909 | #24838 | Compare |
Columbia College Similar quality tier (#24841 ranked) | SC | 94% | $41,338 | #24841 | Compare |
Accounting and Related Services
13 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
50 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
22 graduates
Political Science and Government
22 graduates
Communication and Media Studies
31 graduates
College of Saint Benedict's program mix is anchored in the biological sciences, reflecting the institution's liberal arts identity and emphasis on life sciences. Nursing is the largest program with 50 graduates, followed by Psychology, General with 48 graduates, Biology, General with 41 graduates, Communication and Media Studies with 31 graduates, and Teacher Education with 31 graduates.
Across 22 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes. The highest-earning programs at College of Saint Benedict reflect strength in applied and health-related fields.
Nursing leads with median earnings of $84,492 four years after enrollment, followed by Business Administration with $78,901, Political Science with $64,777, Communication and Media Studies with $64,430, and Nutrition Sciences with $61,790. The concentration of earnings strength in Biological Sciences and related health sciences reflects both the institution's academic focus and the labor-market demand for graduates in these fields.
Many of College of Saint Benedict's strongest programs represent high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect national labor-market outcomes. The biological sciences, chemistry, and health-related majors position graduates for careers in healthcare, research, and applied sciences where four-year earnings capture meaningful early-career progress.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends and workforce demand.
