Ave Maria University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Ave Maria, Florida. It enrolls 1,298 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes47
Value20
Affordability25
Selectivity88
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 41.4%, Ave Maria University is a selective institution.
Acceptance Rate
41.4%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Ave Maria University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
40.0 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Ave Maria University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,860 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,860
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
21%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
45%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$30,198
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,432
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,450
Books & Supplies
$1,320
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,050
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,050
Total Cost of Attendance
$46,129
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$18,761
$30,001 – $48,000
$20,840
$48,001 – $75,000
$23,790
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,088
Over $110,000
$27,107
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$20,776Medianpercentile
$24,83075%percentile
$30,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,750
↓ $8,026
No Pell $12,000
↓ $8,776
Female students $15,000
↓ $5,776
Male students $11,000
↓ $9,776
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($20,776), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
49% of full-time students who enrolled at Ave Maria University graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
49%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Ave Maria University earn a median of $49,520 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$49,520
Earning > $25K
76%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
13.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Ave Maria University is home to 1,298 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
1,298
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
18%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 69.5%902
Hispanic 15.0%195
Asian 4.7%61
Black 2.9%37
International 2.3%30
Other 0.9%11
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Ave Maria University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantAve Maria, Florida
Housing
Strongly residential1,133 beds for 1,298 students
Adult Learners
3%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Ave Maria University offers
a varied set of programs:
30 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ave Maria University is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$225M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,640
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
79 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
21
27%
$90,698
Associate Professors
26
33%
$84,156
Assistant Professors
29
37%
$64,328
Instructors
3
4%
$84,784
Pros & Cons of Ave Maria University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Ave Maria University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
Best for:
Based on the data, Ave Maria University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ave Maria University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Ave Maria University.
Is Ave Maria University hard to get into?
Ave Maria University is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 41.4%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Ave Maria University?
Ave Maria University has an acceptance rate of 41.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Ave Maria University cost?
The average net price after aid at Ave Maria University is $24,860 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ave Maria University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $49,520 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,860 per year. That's roughly 2.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Ave Maria University known for?
Ave Maria University is best known for its programs in Communication & Media, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Ave Maria University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Ave Maria University are $49,520, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Ave Maria University accredited?
Yes. Ave Maria University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Ave Maria University?
Ave Maria University enrolls 1,298 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Ave Maria University?
Ave Maria University graduates 49% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Ave Maria University a public or private college?
Ave Maria University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Ave Maria University located?
Ave Maria University is located in Ave Maria, Florida.
What programs does Ave Maria University offer?
Ave Maria University offers 30 distinct programs. The most popular include Communication & Media, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ave Maria University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ave Maria University is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Florida
Other colleges in Florida share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
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Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Rankings That Feature Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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