More selective than 61% of Iowa colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $51,141. College Scorecard.
Higher than 34% of Iowa colleges we cover and 63% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 70% of Iowa colleges we cover and 69% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Saint Ambrose University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,456 applicants, Saint Ambrose University admitted 2,534 and 422 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1170 on the SAT or 20–25 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Saint Ambrose University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Saint Ambrose University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Saint Ambrose University took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Iowa. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $22,037 | $91,454 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $21,729 | $90,175 | 3.9 years |
| $48–75k | $22,408 | $92,993 | 4.1 years |
| $75–110k | $24,776 | $102,820 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $27,807 | $115,399 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (54% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($59,531) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,870 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Saint Ambrose University majors, earnings & careers
Saint Ambrose University offers 56 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 12
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Technology & Computing · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Science & Math · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Education · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
Highest-earning majors at Saint Ambrose University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $83,719 | $26,559 |
| Business Administration | $77,850 | $35,135 |
| Nursing | $75,832 | $27,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $74,438 | $26,935 |
| Finance | $72,886 | — |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $67,548 | $26,000 |
| Marketing | $66,714 | $26,467 |
| Criminal Justice | $61,988 | — |
Quick list of all 56 majors
- Accounting$83,719
- Area Studies—
- Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business—
- Business Administration$77,850
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science—
- Computer Systems Analysis—
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications—
- Criminal Justice$61,988
- Data Science—
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,634
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$72,886
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History—
- Human Resources—
- Industrial Engineering—
- Information Technology—
- International Business—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$67,548
- Management Science / Analytics$74,438
- Marketing$66,714
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$75,832
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$56,803
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Administration—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Social Work—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Theology / Ministry—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Davenport
Overall prices in the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,056. Housing costs 32% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 39 inches of rain a year, 36 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Scott County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Scott County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Saint Ambrose University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Iowa by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Ambrose University | 77% | $24,691 | 61% | $59,531 | This school |
| Buena Vista University | 78% | $18,846 | 62% | $49,156 | |
| Wartburg College | 76% | $32,908 | 64% | $56,201 | |
| Cornell College | 80% | $23,634 | 62% | $53,460 | |
| Northwestern College | 80% | $25,907 | 66% | $49,802 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Saint Ambrose University would cost you $5,845 more per year than Buena Vista University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Saint Ambrose University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$5,140).
- Buena Vista University gives aided families $8,926 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Iowa resident | Saint Ambrose University | Buena Vista University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $36,658 | $41,798 | −$5,140 |
| Books & supplies | $1,320 | $1,132 | +$188 |
| Housing & meals | $12,348 | $10,896 | +$1,452 |
| Personal & travel | $3,538 | $2,561 | +$977 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,723 | −$2,165 | −$558 |
| Sticker price | $51,141 | $54,222 | −$3,081 |
| Average grants | −$26,450 | −$35,376 | +$8,926 |
| You pay | $24,691 | $18,846 | +$5,845 |
“+” means Saint Ambrose University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Saint Ambrose University
What is the Saint Ambrose University acceptance rate?
Saint Ambrose University accepts 77% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,534 of 3,456 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1170 on the SAT or 20–25 on the ACT.
How much does Saint Ambrose University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $51,141 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $24,691 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $22,037 and families earning $110k+ pay $27,807.
How much do Saint Ambrose University graduates earn?
Former Saint Ambrose University students earn a median $59,531 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Saint Ambrose University graduation rate?
61% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year.
How long does a Saint Ambrose University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Saint Ambrose University costs about $92,993 after grants ($22,408 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $59,531 ten years after starting, $22,870 more than high school graduates in Iowa ($36,661), so the cost is repaid in 4.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Saint Ambrose University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/saint-ambrose-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).