

Latrobe, PAprivate nonprofitstvincent.edu
Admit rate has ranged 59%–73% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Saint Vincent College is a small, Catholic Benedictine liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where tradition and practicality meet. Founded by monks, its identity is steeped in a core curriculum that emphasizes foundational values alongside a surprisingly robust menu of over 90 majors and minors. The vibe is communal and supportive—nearly 70% of students live on its wooded campus—and outcomes are solid, with a strong track record of graduates landing jobs or advancing to graduate school.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Saint Vincent's admissions process is accessible, with a rolling deadline for regular decision and no Early Decision option. The school accepts the Common Application and does not require standardized test scores for admission, though submitting them is an option. The profile of an average admitted student is solid but not stratospheric: an average high school GPA of 3.58 to 3.61, with 80% ranking in the top half of their high school class. For those who do submit scores, the average SAT sits around 1110-1133, and the average ACT is 22-24. The process appears to be straightforward, focusing on academic preparedness as evidenced by GPA and class rank rather than hyper-selective metrics.
Academics at Saint Vincent are framed by a Catholic, Benedictine, and liberal arts core curriculum designed to impart foundational values and wisdom. The college is organized into three schools offering a wide range of degrees, majors, and certificates across more than 90 undergraduate programs. While the curriculum is broad, certain majors see higher concentrations of students: History, Communication/Journalism, Social Sciences, Education, and Visual and Performing Arts are among the most popular. The approach is described as preparing students "for careers, not just jobs," through student research, internships, and experiential learning. The college is particularly noted for well-regarded programs in fields like economics and education.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
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Life at Saint Vincent is predominantly residential and community-focused, with 68% of students living in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing. The college promotes a vibrant campus environment where education extends beyond the classroom, encouraging engagement through clubs, activities, and a dynamic social environment. Student services are geared toward helping students take full advantage of both academic resources and the broader campus life. The overall atmosphere is one of personal growth and connection, fostered by the relatively small size and the Benedictine tradition that underpins the institution.
Saint Vincent College touts strong post-graduation outcomes, with a particular emphasis on employment and further education. According to the college, 96% of the Class of 2025 were employed or attending graduate school within one year of graduation (based on an 87% knowledge rate of that class). The institution's graduation rate is a point of pride, cited as nearly twice the national average. While specific earnings figures vary across sources, the college highlights that its graduates' average salary ranks in the top tier compared to national medians. This data paints a picture of a college that effectively launches its alumni into the next phase of their careers or academic pursuits.
Financial aid is nearly universal for incoming students at Saint Vincent, with 100% of first-time, full-time beginning undergraduates receiving some form of grant or scholarship aid. The average financial aid package is substantial. The college actively promotes its merit scholarships and grants, with awards for first-time students often exceeding $18,000. Families are encouraged to use the school's Calculator to estimate their actual cost. It's important to note that while aid is widespread, federal student loans are also commonly utilized by the student body.
Saint Vincent College stands out for its distinctive fusion of deep-rooted tradition and pragmatic career preparation. It's not just a liberal arts college; it's a Benedictine institution where the core curriculum is explicitly designed to build character and wisdom alongside intellect. This philosophical grounding creates a close-knit, supportive campus community where the majority of students live and learn together. Yet, it avoids being purely monastic by offering a vast array of over 90 modern majors and minors and boasting a near-universal job/graduate school placement rate for its graduates. It's a place where you can study the great books and also land a great job, all within a serene Pennsylvania landscape that feels far removed from the pressures of a cutthroat university.