<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 02/28/94
000 C000000 0000731890
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 Y
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 T. ROWE PRICE SHORT-TERM BOND FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-3894
001 C000000 4105472000
002 A000000 100 EAST PRATT STREET
002 B000000 BALTIMORE
002 C000000 MD
002 D010000 21202
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 57
019 C000000 TROWEPRICE
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 14.8
062 N000000 38.1
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 30.1
062 Q000000 17.0
062 R000000 0.0
071 A000000 700452
071 B000000 560271
071 C000000 616878
071 D000000 91
072 A000000 12
074 N000000 689195
074 T000000 668066
<PAGE> PAGE 2
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 638608
077 A000000 Y
080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 50000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 50
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE JAMES S. RIEPE
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT