Ave Maria University
Ave Maria, FL 34142-9505
About Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University is a private research university in Ave Maria, Florida, enrolling about 1,298 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 41.39% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $49,520 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Ave Maria University charges 3% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($30,198).
- Versus the Florida median, sticker tuition is about 1.8×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 53.94%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $49,520.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Ave Maria University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 398% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ave Maria University | $30,198 | $24,860 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Florida (state median) | $16,838 | $7,247 | 176 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 18% below published tuition at Ave Maria University
Key findings
- Ave Maria University's average net price ($24,860) is 18% below published tuition ($30,198).
- Ave Maria University charges 3% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($30,198).
- Versus the Florida median, sticker tuition is about 1.8×.
Ave Maria University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $30,198
Finding Ave Maria University charges 3% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $30,198. That is 3% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Florida median ($16,838), sticker tuition is about 1.8×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.5×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Ave Maria University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Ave Maria University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Ave Maria University is $24,860.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $24,860 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $17,613 above the Florida median net price.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Ave Maria University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 18% lower after grants and scholarships.
Ave Maria University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Ave Maria University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$30,198
Avg. net price
$24,860
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $18,761 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,840 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $23,790 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $24,088 |
| $110,001+ | $27,107 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $120,792. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Ave Maria University is known for
Top program completions
- Theology/Theological Studies29
- Business Administration and Management, General29
- Psychology, General21
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse19
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology15
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 29% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Ave Maria University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Ave Maria University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Ave Maria University.
Campus
Location
Ave Maria, FL
City / state
- ZIP
- 34142-9505
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
1,298
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,377
- Graduate
- 122
- Full-time share
- 99%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$20,776
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 21.04%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Ave Maria University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Ave Maria University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Ave Maria University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $23,000 | $23,000 | $18,079 |
| 2014 | $17,940 | $17,940 | $18,724 |
| 2015 | $18,479 | $18,479 | $18,072 |
| 2016 | $19,128 | $19,128 | $18,539 |
| 2017 | $19,970 | $19,970 | $19,129 |
| 2018 | $20,850 | $20,850 | $17,981 |
| 2019 | $21,854 | $21,854 | $15,527 |
| 2020 | $23,188 | $23,188 | $18,264 |
| 2021 | $24,610 | $24,610 | $18,860 |
| 2022 | $26,354 | $26,354 | $21,131 |
| 2023 | $28,222 | $28,222 | $23,655 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Ave Maria University reported total enrollment of about 1,298 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 47% male and 53% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (69.5%), Hispanic or Latino (15.0%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (4.8%). About 21.04% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 17.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Ave Maria University in 2024 is 1,298 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,377 students. Graduate enrollment is about 122 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.9%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
39.39% 100% Completion Time
53.94% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 39.39% of students graduating from Ave Maria University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Theology/Theological Studies: 48% male / 52% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 83% male / 17% female
- Psychology, General: 24% male / 76% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Ave Maria University graduates earn a median of $49,520 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Ave Maria University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,520. Median federal loan debt: $20,776. Average net price used in cost models: $24,860.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Ave Maria University graduates report median earnings of $49,520 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Ave Maria University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (31 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Ave Maria University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Ave Maria University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Ave Maria University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$9M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Florida median 0.25× the median ($35.9M)
- Southeast median 0.46× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.34× the median ($26.4M)
- Florida median 0.82× the median ($7,784)
- Southeast median 0.68× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.53× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Florida median 51.8 pp above median (48.2%)
- Southeast median 40.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,091
- Florida median 1.3× the median ($6,877)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $13,083
- Florida median 2.3× the median ($5,803)
- Southeast median 2.0× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Ave Maria University at a glance
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University is a private non-profit institution in Ave Maria, FL, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Theology/Theological StudiesBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian69.5%Hispanic or Latino15.0%Race/ethnicity unknown4.8%
Schools near Ave Maria University
Other campuses in Ave Maria, FL when available, plus nearby institutions in Florida.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Florida, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ave Maria University located?
Ave Maria University is located in Ave Maria, FL.
What is Ave Maria University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Ave Maria University is 41.4% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,448 applicants and 1,097 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Ave Maria University's tuition?
Ave Maria University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $30,198 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $24,860 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Ave Maria University cost?
Reported tuition is $30,198 and average net price is $24,860 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,432 annually.
Why is Ave Maria University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Ave Maria University, published tuition is $30,198 while average net price is $24,860—about 18% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Ave Maria University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($24,860), completion (53.9% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($49,520). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Ave Maria University?
Ave Maria University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,377 students, White (69.5%), Hispanic or Latino (15.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Ave Maria University?
About 17.6% of students at Ave Maria University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Ave Maria University earn?
Median earnings are $43,572 six years after entry and $49,520 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Ave Maria University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 53.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Ave Maria University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $20,776.
Is Ave Maria University public or private?
Ave Maria University is a private nonprofit institution located in Ave Maria, FL.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.