This article will not tell you whether this is the right college for your child. No one who does not know your child can tell you that. What I can do is put in front of you what the United States government reports about this school, translated into language that does not require a dictionary of federal acronyms. You bring what you know about your child and your family. The data provides the ground beneath your feet. Let’s walk through it together.
What kind of college is this?
Let’s start with the basics: what kind of place Saint Vincent College is before discussing admissions or money.
It is a private, nonprofit, four-year college classified as an arts and sciences college focused on the bachelor’s level. Although IPEDS—the federal system that collects these data—records that the institution reports offering programs through the doctoral level, its overall classification describes it as a school where most activity is at the bachelor’s level or above. Reporting graduate offerings does not tell you whether the major your child is interested in exists there or whether it leads to something further. Ask the program directly.
One fact worth emphasizing: the Carnegie classification describes it as “highly residential.” That means that, when these data were collected, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. If your child pictures living on campus, this fits what the school actually is. But remember something important: living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately and are almost never included together in the same brochure figure. Ask for them separately.
Saint Vincent College is in Latrobe, within Westmoreland County, in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area—although that does not mean the campus is in downtown Pittsburgh. The census code places it in a suburb: within the urbanized area but outside the principal city. If your child plans to live at home and commute every day, do not rely on what the map says. Drive the route yourself on a weekday at the time your child would have class. The actual travel time is almost never what Google Maps promises.
And something worth clarifying from the outset: Saint Vincent College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this national directory, 138 do have at least one of those three designations. Saint Vincent College’s absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves today, how many Latino students are on campus, or how your child will feel there. You learn that by seeing which student organizations and cultural centers currently exist and by talking with someone who already studies there.
The size of the community and who makes it up
Saint Vincent College had 1,442 students enrolled in the most recent official fall count. It is midsized: neither among the large universities nor among the very small colleges, compared with similar selective private schools. Of that total, 1,280 are undergraduates and 162 are graduate students. Put simply, this is primarily an undergraduate college.
Who makes up that community matters, especially if your family is Latino. Of the undergraduate students reported in the fall of 2023, 5 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority, and compared with the other 941 similar selective private schools, Saint Vincent College is in the group’s bottom quartile: three out of four of those schools reported a higher proportion of Latino students.
I will neither soften this nor make it sound darker than it is. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, and having many would not by itself make it good. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled today. If your child will be one of the few Latino students on that campus, the right question is not whether to attend. It is which student groups exist, whether anyone in the admissions or student-life office speaks Spanish, and—most useful of all—whether your child can speak with a Latino student who is already there before deciding.
Other features of this community: there are more men than women—out of every 100 students, 40 are women; there are almost no adult students, with just 2 out of every 100 between the ages of 25 and 64; and slightly more than half of first-time students, 69 out of every 100, came from Pennsylvania when they applied. None of these numbers determines anything by itself. They are pieces of the complete picture.
How academics work
The academic year at Saint Vincent College is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with a common schedule for everyone. Nothing unusual there.
Something worth noting: the school reported accepting AP exam credit as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, or previous licenses or certifications, including military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth behind that good news: the school’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will give your child credit for every exam they take. The report does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific major your child wants to pursue. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for savings in time or money until you have it in hand.
As for academic offerings: in the most recent year reported, Saint Vincent College awarded 286 bachelor’s degrees across 22 families of fields of study—what the government calls CIP families. The family awarding the most degrees was business and management, with 24 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year—no other field surpassed it, but it did not account for the bulk of them either. Compared with similar selective private schools, Saint Vincent College is in the top quartile for the variety of fields represented in its offerings. Still, 22 families with rows in the report do not mean 22 guaranteed majors: one family can group several programs, and a row can report zero degrees for that year. Verify the exact program that interests your child, not the general category.
Regarding the student-to-instructional-staff ratio: the official figure is 10 students per full-time-equivalent member of the instructional staff. It is a low aggregate ratio compared with similar schools. But be careful: this number does not tell you the actual size of your child’s classes. It is a general institutional calculation, not a promise of personal attention.
The institution also reports structured academic pathways such as study abroad and routes to teacher certification, including state approval for initial teacher certification. If that is where your child’s interests lie, this is a concrete sign worth exploring in depth.
Getting in: admissions and who actually enrolls
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let’s take it slowly and use the exact numbers.
Saint Vincent College does not have open admissions. It reviews several elements before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations evaluated in this process, it marked four as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum the college requires, and an English-proficiency exam when applicable. Other elements are not required but are considered if submitted: your child’s class rank, personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a family member previously attended the college.
That last point—family legacy—is something your child cannot change. If it does not apply, do not spend energy worrying about it. Spend that energy on what is within your child’s control: grades, the essay, and the letters.
The published undergraduate application fee is $0. That removes a common barrier.
Now for the numbers showing how selective it is in practice. In the most recent reported cycle, 2,374 students applied for first-year admission. Of those, 1,403 were offered a place. That is 59 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Compared with the other 942 similar selective private schools, Saint Vincent College is on the more demanding side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, accepted a higher percentage of applicants.
Put another way: admission is not a sure thing, but neither is it an impossible lottery. The application is reviewed carefully.
And here is a fact many families do not know that changes the conversation: out of every 100 admitted students, only 21 actually enrolled at Saint Vincent College that fall. The other 79 had a place there and did not take it. Being admitted is not the same as deciding to attend. And this is not a blemish on the school—the federal record does not say why each person chose what they chose, and each admitted student probably had other acceptance letters on the table, with different net prices. What this really teaches you is this: what happens to other admitted students does not tell you what your child will be offered. Wait for your child’s own letter showing the net price—what the year would actually cost—before deciding whether this school stays on the final list.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Among students who enrolled and submitted SAT scores—55 out of every 100 did so—the middle half scored between 500 and 613 in reading and writing, and between 493 and 618 in mathematics. Note that these ranges are for students who actually enrolled, not everyone who applied, and they do not prove that the score determined anyone’s admission. That 500 is not a minimum your child must reach, and that 613 is not a guarantee of anything either.
Regarding transfers: of the cohort that entered in 2017 as full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students, only 13 out of every 100 are reported as having transferred to another school without completing here. Compared with similar schools, that is a low proportion: most of those schools saw more students leave. This does not tell you what happened to everyone else—they may have graduated, remained enrolled, or stopped studying for other reasons.
The sticker price and what is actually paid
At Saint Vincent 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 $14,467. Among 35 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $19,912; among 115 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $27,734. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $13,267 between the average for the lowest-income band (36 students) and the average for the highest-income band (115 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $23,857.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Saint Vincent College falls within the least expensive quartile for the lowest-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a relevant fact when you build the list of schools to which your child will apply.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. What matters is the aid letter you receive.
Financial aid and the weight of loans
Here is a figure that sounds spectacular and deserves a careful look: 100 out of every 100 degree- or certificate-seeking students at Saint Vincent College received some type of grant or scholarship aid. That “100” is rounded, so it means all or nearly all, not necessarily literally everyone. Among those who received it, the average was $29,633 for the year.
That is real money. But it is not a price, nor is it your offer. An average that high among aid recipients does not guarantee that your child will receive the same amount—the average can include someone who received much more and someone who received much less. The federal Pell Grant, reserved for low-income families, reached 27 out of every 100 students.
Now the hard truth, without cushioning it: 74 out of every 100 undergraduate students at Saint Vincent College received some form of federal student loan. That is a majority. Among those who borrowed, the average amount per borrower was $6,658 that academic year. Compared with similar selective private schools, Saint Vincent College is on the high side in the proportion of students who take on debt.
Financing with debt is common here, not the exception. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the four years of the degree, the total would be around $26,632, not including interest. And that figure should be considered before the first signature, not at the end of the process. That average, moreover, counts only federal loans in the student’s name for one year—it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or total debt accumulated by graduation.
The fact that borrowing is common here does not determine whether your child will need it. That depends on the specific aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can pay. If debt appears in that letter, request the estimated monthly payment before accepting it.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan and participation in a Promise program for those who prefer to spread out the cost instead of paying it all at once.
Campus life, athletics, and available support
Saint Vincent College does have institution-controlled housing, with reported capacity for 1,274 students. It does not require every first-time student to live there—which rules out a universal requirement, although it does not say whether a specific program might require it. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. Before removing room and board from the family budget, ask in writing for the exact rule that applies to your child’s program and year, as well as the housing application deadline.
For students considering a military career: the school reported ROTC opportunities in two branches, Army and Air Force—the Navy is not marked. Its inclusion in the report does not mean the program is necessarily taught on this campus or that your child is guaranteed a place; ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
In athletics, Saint Vincent College competes in the NCAA. The report confirms membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field, but does not specify the division or whether each sport offers athletic scholarships. If your child wants to play, write directly to the coach of that sport and request this information in writing.
Distance education is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but in practice fewer than 1 out of every 100 undergraduate students take their entire course load that way. The institution explicitly reported that it does not offer a complete program in which all required courses can be taken remotely. If this matters to your child, confirm it in writing for the specific major.
The library operates with paid staff and spending above the threshold recorded by the government, has physical and digital collections, and participates in interlibrary lending. Reported support services include combined academic and career counseling, employment services, job placement for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a webpage describing services for students with disabilities.
Persistence and graduation: what happened to those who have already attended
This may be the section that is both the most reassuring and the one that demands the most careful reading.
Of the cohort that entered for the first time in 2022 as full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students, 85 out of every 100 were still enrolled at Saint Vincent College or had already graduated one year later. That is a high rate compared with similar schools—it ranks near the top of the group. But a number like this does not separate those who are still studying from those who have already graduated, nor does it tell you what happened to the remaining 15.
Of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, six years later, 72 out of every 100 had the degree in hand. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 64 out of every 100—a difference of 8 points showing that many need that additional time. Compared with similar selective private schools, Saint Vincent College is in the top quartile: three out of four similar schools, or more, reported an equal or lower proportion of graduates.
A high number like this is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the cohort of 2017. What is within your control, beginning with the first semester, is making sure your child enters with all credits in order and knows from day one who the academic advisor is and when registration opens for courses in the major.
One more long-term fact: following a cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016, eight years later, 74 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients—students from low-income families—the figure was 67 out of every 100, ten points below the group that did not receive Pell. If your family would qualify for Pell, this does not determine your child’s outcome, but it is a legitimate question to ask the school directly: what specifically is available for these students—an assigned advisor, emergency assistance, and whether institutional aid is renewed each year. Ask for the answer in writing.
What you now know, and what remains yours to decide
You now know Saint Vincent College in greater depth than most families applying there. You know it is a midsized, highly residential school, with few Latino students today, that is moderately selective and where most admitted students do not ultimately enroll. You know the sticker price is daunting but that the net price for low-income families tells a different story. You know nearly everyone receives some grant or scholarship aid, that most also use loans, and that seven or eight out of ten who enter ultimately earn a degree.
None of this tells you whether Saint Vincent College is the right college for your child. That depends on what your child wants to study, how far from home your child—and your family—is comfortable with them living, and what you can and are willing to pay once the actual financial-aid letter arrives. This article gives you the ground beneath your feet. You and your child build the bridge to the decision together, using this information and what only you know about your own lives.
Source note: The information in this article comes from the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS system, using the most recent reporting periods available at the time of publication. Best College Aid does not represent Saint Vincent College or any government agency; this article is an independent explanation of public data.