I am not going to tell you whether this college is “good” or “bad.” That judgment is not for an article to make; it belongs to you, your child, and what you build together. What I can do is put the official data in front of you, with their exact context, so that when you sit down with your child to decide, you are not deciding blindly.
Who this school is and where it stands
Albertus Magnus College is a private, nonprofit institution offering four-year programs or longer. The federal system that classifies United States colleges—known as Carnegie—describes it as a master’s college or university with medium-sized programs. It is a small, primarily residential four-year school: in the data snapshot used for that classification, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least half studied full time.
It also carries another label worth knowing if your child arrived here after studying at another institution: Carnegie places it among schools that receive many transfer students. That label does not tell you how many credits those students bring in or how many they lose along the way. If this is your child’s route, ask in writing, before enrolling, which courses will count and which will not. The label raises the question; it does not answer it.
Carnegie also places Albertus Magnus in its “inclusive” category, a category that groups two types of schools: those that did not report admissions scores and those that did report them but showed broad access opportunity. The label does not tell you which of the two describes this school today.
Geographically, Albertus Magnus is in New Haven, Connecticut, within the South Central Connecticut region and the New Haven metropolitan area. That does not mean the campus is right in the center of the city. If your child plans to live at home and commute every day, do yourself a favor: drive the route on a weekday, at the exact time they would have class. The time shown on a map is almost never the real time.
One final piece of identity, and it concerns what it is not. Albertus Magnus College is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), is not a tribal college or university, and is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this federal directory, 138 do carry one of those three designations; this one does not. That says nothing about the communities it serves today, how many Latino students it has, or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist, which student organizations are active today, and—if you can—talk to someone who already studies there.
The real size of the student community
Here is a figure I want you to look at carefully, because it often surprises families: 26 out of every 100 undergraduate students at Albertus Magnus College are Hispanic or Latino. That is one in four, or more.
It is not just any number. Among the 941 selective private four-year schools that reported this figure to the federal government, Albertus Magnus is among those reporting it at the highest levels: nine out of ten of those schools reported an equal or lower share. Put another way, if your child is Latino, they would not be the exception on this campus. They would be, at minimum, one out of four.
But—and this matters—being counted is not the same as being served. This number tells you how many Latino students are enrolled. It does not tell you whether there is a counselor who speaks Spanish, whether targeted tutoring exists, or whether those students actually finish their degrees. And it is the percentage for the whole school, not for the specific major your child is interested in. The number opens the door to the question; it does not close it.
Other features of this community: 31 out of every 100 undergraduate students are between 25 and 64 years old, so this is not a campus where everyone is 19 years old and fresh out of high school. There are more women than men—59 out of every 100—and the great majority of entering students, 79 out of every 100, reported living in Connecticut when they applied.
In terms of size, Albertus Magnus had 1,161 students enrolled in the official fall count, which places it in the medium band—between 1,000 and 4,999—and, among similar schools, in the most common range: neither among the large schools nor the small ones.
Here is something that can confuse you if you do not separate it clearly: of those 1,161, only 892 are undergraduates; the other 269 are graduate students. If your child is just beginning a bachelor’s degree, the number that matters to them is 892, not 1,161. The larger total includes people who have already completed a degree.
How the academic year works and how broad the offerings are
The calendar at Albertus Magnus College is organized by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That means fixed, consistent dates for all students, something that gives many families structure for planning.
The school told the government that it accepts credit through two different paths. The first is one you already know: AP exams. The second is less familiar and worth keeping in mind if your child or you have experience outside a traditional classroom: what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience,” which may include independent study, noncredit adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses, prior certifications, or military, government, or professional opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training. And it enrolls high school students in college-credit courses within a formal dual-enrollment program.
Now for the fine print that really matters: the school’s stating that it accepts AP does not mean it will give credit for any exam with any score. We do not know from this figure how many points it requires or whether those credits apply to your child’s exact major. Ask for the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not count those savings in your budget until you have them confirmed on paper.
As for what students study there: in the most recently reported year, Albertus Magnus awarded 293 bachelor’s degrees, distributed across 18 program families. But the distribution is not even. Business and administration accounted for 109 of those 293 degrees—37 out of every 100—by far the largest program family in the entire school. The fact that 18 families have at least one row in the report does not mean there are 18 robust options: some of those rows may report only a handful of degrees, or even zero in different years. If your child has a specific major in mind, ask about that exact program, not the general list.
As for the student-to-faculty ratio, Albertus Magnus reports 15 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the overall scale for this type of figure, that is a middle-range number. But compared specifically with similar schools—private, selective, four-year schools—it falls in the highest quarter: three out of four of those schools, or more, report the same or lower ratio. Both readings are true at once, and neither tells you the actual size of a classroom. That figure does not exist in this report; if it matters to you, ask admissions directly.
The academic paths the school reports offering
Albertus Magnus College reports offering, among other things: study-abroad programs, a complete program that can be taken only at night or on weekends, and state preparation and approval pathways for teacher certification. If any of these pieces resonates with what your child is looking for, it is a good starting point for asking the school directly for more details.
What getting in is like: the admissions process
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let us take it slowly and use the exact numbers.
Albertus Magnus College does not have open admissions. There are specific pieces it reviews before saying yes. Of the considerations the federal government asks every college about, four are required here: the high school record, high school grade-point average, personal essay, and English-proficiency test for applicants who need it. In plain language, that means your child has to write. Simply gathering paperwork and grades is not enough.
Other pieces are not required, but they are considered if you send them: class rank, whether the applicant completed the college-preparatory curriculum the college recommends, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency examination, and work experience. The undergraduate application fee, incidentally, is listed at $0.
My recommendation here is simple, and I always give it: if the essay is required, have your child start it in the summer, not during the week of the deadline. The first draft is almost never the one that gets sent.
How selective is it in practice? In the 2023 cycle, Albertus Magnus College received 2,338 first-time applications and offered admission to 1,505. That is 64 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Among similar selective private schools, that percentage is common, a little below the middle of the group. It is not an automatic process, but neither is it a closed lottery: applications are reviewed using real criteria.
Here is a figure that completely changes the conversation, and I want you to look at it directly: out of every 100 admitted students, only 12 ultimately enrolled. Put another way, out of every 8 students who received a yes, about one ended up taking the spot. Compared with similar schools, this figure falls on the low side: at seven out of every ten of those schools, or more, a larger share of admitted students enrolls.
Do not read that as a stain on the school. The fact that most admitted students choose somewhere else does not mean the school is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person made the choice they did. Above all, what others chose does not tell you what the school will offer you. Wait for your letter with the net price—what the year would actually cost you—and decide with that number in hand.
As for standardized tests: Albertus Magnus College reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admissions decision, even if you submit them. That does not tell you whether it uses them for scholarships or placement into certain courses; ask separately if that applies to your child.
About transfers: in the fall of 2023, 73 undergraduate students entered Albertus Magnus for the first time after having studied at another institution. Compared with similar schools, that figure falls in the lower half of the group, although remember that it is a headcount, not a proportion, and it goes hand in hand with the school’s size. What we do not know—because the file does not report it—is how many students leave this school for another. That does not mean no one transfers; it simply means that figure is not published here.
Cost: the large number and what you would actually pay
At Albertus Magnus College, among 36 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $32,923. Among 15 students in the same population with family EFC income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $30,898; among 36 students with family EFC income above $110,000, it was $32,651. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income and their own.
The higher-income band, calculated with 36 students, ended with an average of $32,651, below the $32,923 calculated with 36 students in the lower-income band. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $30,179.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you should request the financial-aid letter before deciding.
The fact that the higher-income band comes in below the lower-income band is unusual, and it does not mean your family will receive the same result. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; public institutions use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with scholarships, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. Run the school’s net-price calculator with your actual numbers.
Financial aid and options for paying
The good news, and it should be stated just as clearly: 83 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Albertus Magnus receive some scholarship or aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the average for the year was $20,289. In addition, 48 out of every 100 students receive Pell, the federal aid aimed at lower-income families.
Compared with similar schools, the share of students receiving any scholarship falls in the lowest quarter of the group—that is, proportionally fewer students receive aid here than at most of its peers. $20,289 is real money, but it is not a price: what actually determines the cost is the number left after aid, and your own letter, not a general average, has to give you that number.
On loans, the figure is clear: 76 out of every 100 undergraduate students at Albertus Magnus receive federal student loans—the clear majority. Among those who borrow, the average is $9,615 in a single school year. Compared with similar schools, Albertus Magnus is among those with the most students holding loans: at least nine out of every ten schools in its group had an equal or lower share.
Here, financing through debt is common, not the exception. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $38,460, not including interest. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the road. And keep in mind that this average counts only federal loans in the student’s name for one year: it does not include PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign, bank debt, credit cards, or the total debt with which a student graduates after four years.
To manage payment, the institution reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan and participation in a Promise program.
Campus life: housing, sports, library, and support
Albertus Magnus does have its own housing, with reported capacity for 352 students. It is not required for all full-time, first-time students, although that does not rule out that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. The existence of the option does not guarantee an available bed or an included cost: request in writing the current rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or you will be placed on a waiting list.
As for ROTC: the school did not mark any ROTC opportunity in its most recent report, neither the general box nor any of its branches. Of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide, 926 did mark it; this one was not among them. That does not prove there is no nearby route or unreported agreement. If it is important to your family, ask admissions directly before ruling it out based on this figure.
In sports, Albertus Magnus does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, specifically reporting membership for basketball and baseball. This does not tell you which division each sport plays in or whether it offers athletic scholarships: ask the coach for the sport your child is interested in directly, and request the answer in writing.
It also offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 32 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance—a high share compared with similar schools, where it falls in the quarter with the most such students. But this is a figure for the entire school: it does not say whether your child’s specific major is offered online or on campus. One major may be almost entirely online while the one next to it is almost entirely in person.
The library operates with paid staff, annual spending above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government, a physical and digital collection, and interlibrary loan. That does not tell you whether there are specialized databases for your child’s major: ask by program name.
Finally, the institution reports offering combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military personnel and their families, and a services page for students with disabilities.
Persistence and graduation: how many stay, how many finish
This is the part where I ask you to read most carefully, because these are the numbers most likely to be misread.
Of the cohort of students who entered for the first time, full time, seeking a bachelor’s degree in the fall of 2022—162 people—121 met the official retention criterion the following year: they were still enrolled at Albertus Magnus or had already completed their degree. That is 75 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, this figure falls somewhat below the middle of the group.
The other 41 did not meet that criterion, but the figure does not say what happened to them: they may have transferred to another college and continued studying there, or they may have left their studies entirely. The record does not distinguish between those two paths, and they are very different.
As for graduation: of the 108 students who entered a bachelor’s program in 2017 as first-time, full-time students, 50 had a degree from this school six years later. That is 46 out of every 100—almost half and half. With the shorter four-year time frame, the figure falls to 38 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, Albertus Magnus falls in the lower quarter: three out of every four schools in its group, or more, graduate a larger share of their entering class.
This figure does not explain the reasons for each individual case. Before deciding based on it, ask directly what specific supports the school offers and how long it usually takes to complete the specific major your child is interested in.
There is a third view, through a longer lens: following a cohort of 443 students who entered between July of 2015 and June of 2016—including both first-time students and those who already had prior college experience—as of August 2023, eight years later, 63 out of every 100 had a degree or certificate from this school. It is a higher share than the preceding ones, partly because it gives more time and includes more types of students.
Within that same cohort, there is a figure worth examining closely if your family would qualify for Pell: among students who received that grant, 55 out of every 100 left with a degree or certificate during those eight years, 16 points below the group that did not receive Pell. A family’s qualifying for Pell today does not determine the outcome for a particular student, but if this applies to your situation, it is worth asking the school what specifically exists for those students: is there an assigned counselor, is there emergency aid, does the institutional scholarship renew automatically every year? Request those answers in writing.
What this article cannot tell you
None of the above tells you what happens after a student graduates from Albertus Magnus College: there are no official data here on employment, salaries, or debt at the time of degree completion. That part of the map requires another source, and it is not included in this report.
How to put all of this into your plan
You now know, in considerable depth, one of the three pieces you need to decide: what Albertus Magnus College actually is and offers, according to its own official reports. You know it admits 64 out of every 100 applicants, but that only 12 out of every 100 admitted students ultimately enroll. You know that the sticker price is high, that the net price for lower-income families was also high in the reported average, and that most students finance with federal loans. You know that one in four students is Latino, that the essay is required, and that the six-year graduation rate is around 46 percent.
None of these numbers decides anything for you. Put them together with what your child wants to study and what they have already built—their grades, their essay, their direction—and with what your family can and is willing to pay once the actual aid letter arrives. From that combination, and not from a single number, comes a plan that can truly serve you.
Source note: the information in this article comes from official data reported by Albertus Magnus College to the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS system, corresponding mainly to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Albertus Magnus College or any government agency; this article is for informational purposes and does not replace direct verification with the institution.