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Abstract

In an era dominated by financial metrics and return-on-investment rhetoric, this study offers a counternarrative by examining the holistic outcomes of Catholic higher education. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 college graduates, it compares alumni of Catholic and secular institutions across three domains: life satisfaction and personal fulfillment; civic engagement and community involvement; and ethical development. The findings reveal that graduates of Catholic colleges report higher life satisfaction, greater civic participation, and a stronger ethical orientation than their secular peers—patterns that persist across demographic subgroups. While Catholic colleges perform well on traditional financial indicators, their distinctive value lies in forming graduates equipped for meaningful lives shaped by purpose, compassion, and moral responsibility. These results underscore the formative power of Catholic education and provide empirical grounding for reframing public discourse on the value of college. Catholic institutions, the study concludes, offer not just credentials but formation of character and conscience.nce.

DOI

10.15365/joce.2802052025

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