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Saint Xavier University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Strong 77/100

Saint Xavier University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Chicago, Illinois

About Saint Xavier University

Saint Xavier University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Chicago, Illinois. It enrolls 3,096 students (a mid-sized 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.

Official website: sxu.edu

Acceptance: 84.3%
Graduation: 59.8%
Net Price: $10,970
Median Earnings (10yr): $58,656
Enrollment: 3,096
Student : Faculty: 15:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission

Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Strong

77/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 46

Value 93

Affordability 90

Selectivity 34

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 84.3%, Saint Xavier University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

84.3%

Easy

SAT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

ACT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

Test Policy Test Optional Applicants 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 Saint Xavier University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 13.1 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Saint Xavier 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 $10,970 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$10,970

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

59%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

87%

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: $37,940
Room & Board (on-campus): $12,860
Room & Board (off-campus): $9,106
Books & Supplies: $1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus): $2,440
Other Expenses (off-campus): $3,888
Total Cost of Attendance: $43,244

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

$7,572
$30,001 – $48,000

$7,702
$48,001 – $75,000

$9,715
$75,001 – $110,000

$15,132
Over $110,000

$17,864

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.

$4,500

10% percentile

$8,250

25% percentile

$22,223

Median percentile

$27,000

75% percentile

$35,554

90% 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 $16,801 ↓ $5,422

No Pell $16,500 ↓ $5,723

Dependent students $16,046 ↓ $6,177

Independent students $19,693 ↓ $2,530

Female students $17,131 ↓ $5,092

Male students $15,271 ↓ $6,952

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($22,223), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

60% of full-time students who enrolled at Saint Xavier University graduate within six years, and 75% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

60%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

75%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Saint Xavier University earn a median of $58,656 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$58,656

Earning > $25K

84%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$47,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$57,400

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$44,900

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$52,600

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$53,100

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,700, about 17% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

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 ↑ 15.9 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Saint Xavier University is home to 3,096 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

3,096

Part-Time

First-Generation

49%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 52.6% 1,628

White 29.0% 899

Black 11.7% 361

Other 2.5% 77

Asian 1.9% 60

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Saint Xavier University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large City Chicago, Illinois

Housing

Partly residential 510 beds available

Adult Learners

5% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

Designation

Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

Saint Xavier University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 58 distinct programs across 21 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.

7 Programs

Health

Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Communication Disorders Sciences and $59K ($45K–$73K)

13 Programs

Business

Business $68K ($48K–$95K)
Finance $83K ($61K–$112K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

3 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences $66K ($43K–$91K)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences $66K ($43K–$91K)

5 Programs

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
IT Administration $85K ($59K–$118K)
Information Science $85K ($60K–$117K)

1 Program

Recreation & Fitness

Kinesiology $55K ($39K–$73K)

1 Program

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Saint Xavier University is 15:1, close to the national average.

Student : Faculty

15:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$125M

Solid financial position

Avg Faculty Salary

$72,452

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

124 instructional faculty across 5 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	23	19%	$90,231
Associate Professors	29	23%	$76,843
Assistant Professors	24	19%	$72,968
Lecturers	41	33%	$61,101
No Rank	7	6%	$60,552

Pros & Cons of Saint Xavier University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Saint Xavier University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body

CONS

Modest first-year retention
Most students take on federal loans

Best for: Based on the data, Saint Xavier University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions about Saint Xavier University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Saint Xavier University.

Is Saint Xavier University hard to get into?

Saint Xavier University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 84.3%.

What is the acceptance rate at Saint Xavier University?

Saint Xavier University has an acceptance rate of 84.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

How much does Saint Xavier University cost?

The average net price after aid at Saint Xavier University is $10,970 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Saint Xavier University worth it?

Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $58,656 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,970 per year. That's roughly 5.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Saint Xavier University known for?

Saint Xavier University is best known for its programs in Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Saint Xavier University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Saint Xavier University are $58,656, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Saint Xavier University accredited?

Yes. Saint Xavier University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How many students attend Saint Xavier University?

Saint Xavier University enrolls 3,096 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Saint Xavier University?

Saint Xavier University graduates 60% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Saint Xavier University a public or private college?

Saint Xavier University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Saint Xavier University located?

Saint Xavier University is located in Chicago, Illinois.

What programs does Saint Xavier University offer?

Saint Xavier University offers 58 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Saint Xavier University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Saint Xavier University is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.