More selective than 95% of Michigan colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $44,703. College Scorecard.
Higher than 71% of Michigan colleges we cover and 67% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 40% of Michigan colleges we cover and 45% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
SAU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,145 applicants, Spring Arbor University admitted 1,174 and 206 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1240 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
SAU 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 SAU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Spring Arbor University took 4.3 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 Michigan. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $14,530 | $62,334 | 3.4 years |
| $30–48k | $15,697 | $67,340 | 3.7 years |
| $48–75k | $16,197 | $69,485 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $19,358 | $83,046 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $21,370 | $91,677 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($51,732) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,321 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.
SAU majors, earnings & careers
Spring Arbor University offers 54 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 12
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 11
- Business & Finance · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Arts & Design · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Education · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at SAU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $91,869 | $29,748 |
| Accounting | $66,338 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $62,928 | $27,000 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $50,735 | $30,657 |
| Social Work | $49,642 | $29,893 |
| Human Development and Family Studies | $48,809 | $26,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $47,270 | $28,360 |
| Studio Art | $43,021 | — |
Quick list of all 54 majors
- Accounting$66,338
- Bible Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$62,928
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)$47,270
- Engineering Physics—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Human Development and Family Studies$48,809
- Human Services—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$50,735
- Management Information Systems—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing$91,869
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies—
- Pastoral Counseling / Ministry$36,814
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$41,167
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Music and Worship—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Social Work$49,642
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$42,461
- Studio Art$43,021
- Theatre—
- Theology / Ministry—
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- 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
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Jackson
Overall prices in the Jackson, MI area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,201. Housing costs 33% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 38 inches of rain a year, 40 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Jackson County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Jackson County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare SAU with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Arbor University | 52% | $19,353 | 64% | $51,732 | This school |
| Alma College | 57% | $20,694 | 63% | $54,742 | |
| Lawrence Technological University | 56% | $32,918 | 61% | $69,151 | |
| Madonna University | 63% | $17,755 | 60% | $59,058 | |
| Northwood University | 65% | $27,232 | 63% | $63,075 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Spring Arbor University would cost you $1,341 less per year than Alma College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Spring Arbor University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$15,538).
- Alma College gives aided families $17,606 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Michigan resident | SAU | Alma College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $34,014 | $49,552 | −$15,538 |
| Books & supplies | $800 | $850 | −$50 |
| Housing & meals | $10,960 | $13,128 | −$2,168 |
| Personal & travel | $1,780 | $2,532 | −$752 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,851 | −$2,412 | −$439 |
| Sticker price | $44,703 | $63,650 | −$18,947 |
| Average grants | −$25,350 | −$42,956 | +$17,606 |
| You pay | $19,353 | $20,694 | −$1,341 |
“+” means SAU 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 SAU
What is the SAU acceptance rate?
Spring Arbor University accepts 52% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,174 of 3,145 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1240 on the SAT.
How much does Spring Arbor University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $44,703 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $19,353 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $14,530 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,370.
How much do SAU graduates earn?
Former Spring Arbor University students earn a median $51,732 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the SAU graduation rate?
64% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year.
How long does a SAU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Spring Arbor University costs about $69,485 after grants ($16,197 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $51,732 ten years after starting, $18,321 more than high school graduates in Michigan ($33,411), so the cost is repaid in 3.8 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: “Spring Arbor University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/spring-arbor-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).