Catholic colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Minnesota
Catholic colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Catholic colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Minnesota4 schools
4 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- Catholic undergraduate colleges on the Compass. Seminaries and graduate-only schools are not counted.
- Faith grade B or better (Faith score 70 or higher). Cost and outcomes never change a grade.
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 12, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 3.6 years
- Earnings $76,786 ten years out
- 2
University of St. Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 4.6 years
- Earnings $73,739 ten years out
- 3
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 4.8 years
- Earnings $58,170 ten years out
- 4
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 7.2 years
- Earnings $63,260 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Johns University | $25,672 | $27,000 | $76,786 | 75% |
| University of St. Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $11,704 | $21,500 | $58,170 | 66% |
| College of Saint Benedict | $26,640 | $26,944 | $63,260 | 77% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.