Columbia University
Law
Completion ROI
$5,854,893
Payback
1.9 years
PROFESSIONAL | TX | PRIVATE NONPROFIT
This page puts upside and risk on the same screen so Degreeli can answer the real question: does this degree path still look worth it once completion friction is part of the math?
Degree Value Scorecard
St. Mary's University of San Antonio
Editorial Verdict
Good outcome potential, but families should compare similar programs before treating this as the default choice.
Degreeli Value Score
Caution Zone
Data Confidence: Medium
Directional value
0/100
Estimated Net Cost
$0
Estimated Debt
$0
Early-Career Salary
$0
Mid-Career Salary
$0
Cost Efficiency
20/20
Cost Efficiency
Debt Risk
12.7/20
Debt Risk
Earnings Outlook
13.3/20
Earnings Outlook
Payback Timeline
7.5/15
Payback Timeline
Completion / Outcome Confidence
5.6/10
Completion / Outcome Confidence
Graduate Worth-It Reviews
5/10
Graduate Worth-It Reviews
Parent / Student Clarity Signal
2.5/5
Parent / Student Clarity Signal
Estimated net cost
$84,580
Estimated debt
$52,440
Debt risk
Moderate
Early-career salary
$68,153
Mid-career salary
$111,840
Salary outlook
Strong
Payback years
0.0 years
Completion/outcome
Moderate completion signal
Graduate review rating
3.7 / 5
Parent review signal
Cost control matters above the mid-$40k debt range
Student signal
Student fit depends on internships, advising, and career support

Sample scorecard preview
Law
Degreeli Value Score
Estimated Debt
$42K
Early Salary
$54K
Payback
Moderate
Reviews
4.1 / 5
Good outcome potential, but cost control matters. Compare aid packages and lower-debt alternatives before committing.
Top strengths
Main risks
Caution Zone is a Degreeli Value Score v1 directional read based on modeled cost ($84,580), estimated debt ($52,440), early-career salary ($68,153), payback, completion, and review signals. The strongest signal is that cost looks efficient relative to expected early-career pay. The main caution is that graduate review signal is limited or modeled. Data confidence is medium, so this should support comparison rather than act as a guarantee.
The Degreeli Value Score is directional, not a guarantee of salary, employment, or personal financial outcome.
Data confidence is medium. Cost, salary, payback, review, and outcome fields should be read as decision support, not financial advice.
MethodologyPrograms
Current school + degree
Expand the core read on debt, salary, payback, review context, and score confidence before comparing.
67
Caution Zone
Data Confidence
Medium
Estimated Debt
$52,440
Early Salary
$68,153
Payback
6.5 years
Worth-It Rating
3.7 / 5
Strengths
Cost looks efficient relative to expected early-career pay.
Risks
Graduate review signal is limited or modeled.
Good outcome potential, but families should compare similar programs before treating this as the default choice.
Better-value alternatives
These are sample comparison options from the current preview catalog, not a claim of full national coverage.
Columbia University
Completion ROI
$5,854,893
Payback
1.9 years
University of Pennsylvania
Completion ROI
$5,722,509
Payback
2.5 years
Harvard University
Completion ROI
$5,614,300
Payback
1.7 years
Bottom Line
Law looks viable, but not automatic. It still produces positive ROI after completion adjustment, which means the upside survives a more realistic enrollment path.
The main thing to watch is slippage between ideal and risk-adjusted outcomes. Degreeli estimates that completion risk trims about $682,961 off the on-time case here.
Risk Lens
Ideal Case
$1,662,920
Risk-Adjusted Case
$979,959
Value At Risk
$682,961
Degreeli uses this gap to show how much value depends on finishing the program and reaching the expected outcome.
Verified reviews
Only approved reviews tied to St. Mary's University of San Antonio and this specific program appear here. Reviewer identities stay private while verification badges explain how affiliation was checked.
No approved reviews yet.
Degreeli publishes only reviews that pass email verification, affiliation checks, automated screening, and moderator approval. Be the first to submit a verified review for this page.
Career AI Exposure
This path looks mixed: some tasks are AI-sensitive while human context still matters.
AI Exposure is a second lens beside ROI. It should inform comparison, not replace judgment.
Directional estimate from PROFESSIONAL taxonomy and program naming patterns. Replace with occupation-linked datasets as coverage expands.
Exposure Components
Entry-Level Friction
56/100
Human Judgment Premium
66/100
Physical-World Durability
48/100
Higher exposure does not mean a path is bad. It means families should compare specialization paths, skill depth, and adaptation speed alongside ROI.
Compare Next
Columbia University | PROFESSIONAL
Completion-Adjusted ROI
$5,854,893
Years To Recoup
1.9 years
University of Pennsylvania | PROFESSIONAL
Completion-Adjusted ROI
$5,722,509
Years To Recoup
2.5 years
Harvard University | PROFESSIONAL
Completion-Adjusted ROI
$5,614,300
Years To Recoup
1.7 years
Same Field, Other Schools
American University
Completion-adjusted ROI: $1,526,927
Compare RouteCompare Side By SideArizona State University
Completion-adjusted ROI: $1,478,844
Compare RouteCompare Side By SideBarry University
Completion-adjusted ROI: $586,996
Compare RouteCompare Side By Side