Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

With just 89 miles separating Saint Mary's from the University of St. Thomas, the earnings gap between their Management Sciences programs tells a stark story: $21,000 annually. Saint Mary's grads start at $57,558—about $10,700 below Minnesota's median for this degree and trailing the national average by $4,500. In a state where quantitative graduates typically launch strong careers, landing in the 25th percentile should raise concerns about either curriculum rigor or employer recruitment networks.

The debt picture offers modest relief. At $24,125, borrowing sits just slightly above state and national norms, yielding a manageable 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates can theoretically pay off loans within five years on standard repayment plans. However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—means one or two outlier experiences could be skewing the data considerably.

For Minnesota families, this program appears overpriced relative to results. When neighboring schools produce graduates earning 20-40% more for similar debt loads, the value proposition weakens substantially. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend Saint Mary's specifically (scholarship, campus fit, specific faculty), exploring alternatives like St. Thomas or even out-of-state options would likely yield better financial outcomes. The accessible admission rate suggests this isn't a selective pathway limiting other choices.