10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$98,366at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN · 52 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 51 · Federal debt reported for 35
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$98,366 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
17.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−42%Estimated return after 10 years
$58,575Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $10,596 housing and food allowance plus $2,600 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$44,250
$8,000Annual price−$76,250
$14,000Current college-wide context−$100,250
$16,000Annual price−$108,250
$24,000Annual price−$140,250
$32,000Annual price−$172,250
$40,000Annual price−$204,250
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
3,517 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Minnesota run 1% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$13,529Average net price / year
$21,116Cost of attendance
$21,058Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$223/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$58,575Median earnings · year 5 after completion
40.3%Completion rate
94.8%Admission rate
1,092Average SAT score
21ACT midpoint
5,088Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Saint Cloud State University
What does Saint Cloud State University cost?
Saint Cloud State University reports an average annual net price of $13,529 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Saint Cloud State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $58,575 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Saint Cloud State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,058. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Saint Cloud State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 52 field-and-degree records for Saint Cloud State University; 51 report year-4 earnings and 35 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
12,928Students enrolled at any point
10,287Undergraduate students
2,641Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
43% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
319 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
64% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$51,016Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$55,505Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$59,464Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income53%
Middle income70%
Higher income74%
Undergraduate student composition
White59%
Black13%
Hispanic5%
Asian4%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$89,516Year 1
$133,072Year 5
$154,543Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$115,806Year 1
$119,771Year 5
$143,232Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$85,400Year 1
$112,107Year 5
$141,116Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$69,983Year 1
$91,987Year 5
$124,744Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$52,944Year 1
$97,019Year 5
$115,506Year 10
Air Transportation.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 49
$40,342Year 1
$67,887Year 5
$95,189Year 10
Criminal Justice and Corrections.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 43
$84,259Year 1
$79,032Year 5
$95,075Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$52,378Year 1
$69,275Year 5
$93,549Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$46,696Year 1
$59,194Year 4
$58,575Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$141,7492Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$123,7143Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$107,1334Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$103,7655Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management · Master's Degree$94,7296Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$90,0097Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$87,5038Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$84,470Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1MarketingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $75,043 reported+51%vs same-degree national median$23,350federal debt2Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $141,749 reported+37%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree · $56,168 reported+27%vs same-degree national median$18,000federal debt4Educational Administration and SupervisionDoctoral Degree · $123,714 reported+23%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree · $66,850 reported+21%vs same-degree national median$21,500federal debt6Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree · $75,633 reported+16%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in MN
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Brooklyn Park, MN
North Hennepin Community College
- Annual net price
- $12,186
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,934
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -48%
University of Minnesota-Crookston
- Annual net price
- $12,212
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,840
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -31%
Hennepin Technical College
- Annual net price
- $10,272
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,592
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -43%
Alexandria Technical & Community College
- Annual net price
- $13,691
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,494
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -60%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 52 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $141,749 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $123,714 | Not available | 21 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $107,133 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $103,765 | $27,360 | Not reported |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Master's Degree | $94,729 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,009 | $30,088 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $87,503 | $27,090 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $84,470 | $29,000 | Not reported |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $80,331 | $25,250 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $79,831 | Not available | 2 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $78,067 | $28,882 | 1 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $76,080 | $27,175 | 4 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $75,633 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $75,043 | $23,350 | 34 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $74,847 | $23,450 | Not reported |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $73,695 | $16,084 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $70,259 | $24,250 | 3 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $68,318 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $66,850 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $64,864 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $64,191 | $22,562 | 47 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $63,851 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $62,595 | $24,450 | 9 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $59,549 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $59,483 | $26,752 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $59,443 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $58,788 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,587 | $17,637 | Not reported |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | Bachelor's Degree | $57,108 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $56,652 | Not available | Not reported |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $56,547 | $28,551 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $56,388 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $56,168 | $18,000 | Not reported |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Master's Degree | $54,550 | Not available | Not reported |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | Bachelor's Degree | $54,302 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $54,277 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $52,765 | $27,996 | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $52,455 | Not available | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,031 | $20,626 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $50,932 | $17,850 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Saint Cloud State University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.