Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #416 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,755 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Saint Peter's University in the 92.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #1014 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Students at Saint Peter's University earn more than similar students at comparable institutions, a result that stands out for a small private university serving a predominantly first-generation and Pell-eligible student body. The university's mobility ranking reinforces that earnings advantage — graduates convert access into outcomes at a rate that places Saint Peter's University well above many peer institutions in the Azimuth coverage set.
Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #416 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university in Jersey City, NJ, Saint Peter's University enrolls roughly 2,135 undergraduates. Freshman retention runs at 71.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 58.3%, reflecting a student body that largely completes what it starts. The composite is anchored in what Saint Peter's University does for the students it serves. 52.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 48.0% are first-generation college students — a profile that signals broad access to a population that has historically faced structural barriers to degree completion. Graduates earn about $14,755 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Saint Peter's University in the 92.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #510 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program concentration in Business shapes a graduate cohort oriented toward the dense employer market of the greater New York metropolitan area. Access and affordability provide important context for the composite position. Admission to Saint Peter's University is 90.3% — a broad-access posture that keeps the door open to a wide range of applicants. Affordability sits in the 82.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and mobility sits in the 31.1 percentile, reflecting the university's capacity to move graduates from lower-income backgrounds into stable career footing. Access sits in the 75.1 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, consistent with the institution's Pell and first-generation enrollment levels.
Saint Peter's University's published cost of attendance is $50,272. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $10,783, middle-income families pay around $9,952, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,829. Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #251 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. Saint Peter's participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages. The difference between published cost of attendance and net price reflects the aid structure; understanding how net price differs from sticker price helps families budget realistically. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $21,923; 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 $64,352, median federal debt of $20,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $232 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Saint Peter's University is a strong fit for students drawn to business, health, and applied professional fields who want a private nonprofit university in Jersey City, NJ, with a clear path to solid post-graduation earnings without the cost of higher-priced private institutions. Graduates earn about $14,755 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Saint Peter's University in the 92.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, and median earnings four years after enrollment are $64,352, placing Saint Peter's University in the 64.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 52.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 48.0% are first-generation students — a profile that reflects the university's commitment to serving cost-sensitive and first-generation families in the greater New York metro area. Saint Peter's University sits in the 64.1 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — suggesting that students from lower-income backgrounds have historically converted access into meaningful long-run earnings. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and related applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and families should weigh median debt of $20,500 against the earnings trajectory when planning.
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
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Saint Peter's University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
34 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
31 graduates
Marketing
14 graduates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
37 graduates
Biology, General
53 graduates
Saint Peter's University's program mix is anchored in business and applied professional fields, a signature consistent with its identity as a small Jesuit university serving a diverse urban student body in Jersey City. The dominant program family is Business, which shapes both the scale and earnings profile of the institution's degree output.
Across 22 programs, the mix reflects a practical, career-oriented curriculum designed to move graduates into the regional labor market. The highest aggregate-return program is Business Administration, which combines meaningful cohort scale with competitive median earnings four years after enrollment — making it the single largest contributor to the institution's overall financial outcomes.
Business Administration is the most-enrolled program, with 67 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #283 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $58,634. Biology, General, with 53 graduates, and Criminal Justice, with 46 graduates, round out the high-enrollment tier, with median earnings of $61,502 and $56,438 respectively four years after enrollment.
The highest-earning programs reflect the institution's applied business and professional concentration. Azimuth ranks Nursing #162 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $100,199.
Accounting and Teacher Education also post strong median earnings of $72,212 and $62,040 four years after enrollment, respectively. These programs represent high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter the New York metropolitan labor market and earnings reflect near-term placement outcomes.
For context on how these fields align with national labor-market demand, see the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wesleyan University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15207 ranked) | CT | 16% | $73,897 | #15207 | Compare |
Trinity College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15217 ranked) | CT | 29% | $90,779 | #15217 | Compare |
Azusa Pacific University Similar quality tier (#15227 ranked) | CA | 88% | $66,677 | #15227 | Compare |
Wentworth Institute Of Technology Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15229 ranked) | MA | 91% | $82,721 | #15229 | Compare |
Fresno Pacific University Similar quality tier (#15244 ranked) | CA | 64% | $58,896 | #15244 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Saint Peter's University's published cost of attendance is $50,272. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $10,783, middle-income families pay around $9,952, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,829.
Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #251 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.
Saint Peter's participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages.
The difference between published cost of attendance and net price reflects the aid structure; understanding [how net price differs from sticker price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) helps families budget realistically. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $21,923; 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 $64,352, median federal debt of $20,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $232 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 earn median 4-year earnings of $64,352, placing Saint Peter's University in the 64.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,755 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Saint Peter's University in the 92.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Saint Peter's University #510 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions, a gap that reflects the university's concentration in business and professionally oriented fields that connect graduates to the New York metropolitan labor market.
The program mix at Saint Peter's University is anchored by Business, which accounts for 27% of degrees and drives much of the institution's earnings profile. Business Administration is the largest and highest-aggregate-return program, graduating 67 students with median 4-year earnings of $58,634; Azimuth ranks Business Administration #283 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field.
Biology, General and Criminal Justice round out the core of the degree portfolio, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $61,502 and $56,438 respectively — both programs drawing on the dense employer base across finance, healthcare, and professional services in the surrounding region. Artificial Intelligence and Teacher Education represent additional pathways with median 4-year earnings of $61,013 and $62,040, broadening the range of career-ready options available to Saint Peter's University graduates.
