Mount St. Mary's University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Emmitsburg, Maryland. It enrolls 1,768 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes48
Value55
Affordability41
Selectivity53
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 73.8%, Mount St. Mary's University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
73.8%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1046 – 1280
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 27
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Mount St. Mary's University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
2.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Mount St. Mary's University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $22,655 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$22,655
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
31%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
51%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$48,630
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,050
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,050
Books & Supplies
$950
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,070
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,670
Total Cost of Attendance
$63,731
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,603
$30,001 – $48,000
$20,067
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,942
$75,001 – $110,000
$27,170
Over $110,000
$31,330
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,00010%percentile
$7,00025%percentile
$25,391Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$31,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,875
↓ $6,516
No Pell $13,537
↓ $11,854
Dependent students $15,000
↓ $10,391
Independent students $22,286
↓ $3,105
Female students $17,750
↓ $7,641
Male students $13,000
↓ $12,391
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($25,391), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of full-time students who enrolled at Mount St. Mary's University graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Mount St. Mary's University earn a median of $64,072 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$64,072
Earning > $25K
87%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$51,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$64,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$53,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$53,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$58,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,100, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Mount St. Mary's University is home to 1,768 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,768
Part-Time
5%
First-Generation
23%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 47.1%833
Black 20.5%362
Hispanic 16.6%294
Other 5.8%103
International 5.0%89
Asian 2.9%51
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mount St. Mary's University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantEmmitsburg, Maryland
Housing
Strongly residential1,460 beds for 1,768 students
Adult Learners
6%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Mount St. Mary's University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
47 distinct programs across
20 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mount St. Mary's University is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$124M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$73,361
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
129 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
22
17%
$90,979
Associate Professors
58
45%
$75,952
Assistant Professors
32
25%
$64,435
Lecturers
17
13%
$58,522
Pros & Cons of Mount St. Mary's University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mount St. Mary's University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Modest first-year retention
High published cost of attendance before aid
Frequently Asked Questions about Mount St. Mary's University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mount St. Mary's University.
Is Mount St. Mary's University hard to get into?
Admissions at Mount St. Mary's University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.8%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mount St. Mary's University?
Mount St. Mary's University has an acceptance rate of 73.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Mount St. Mary's University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Mount St. Mary's University scored between 1046 and 1280 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Mount St. Mary's University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Mount St. Mary's University scored between 19 and 27 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Mount St. Mary's University cost?
The average net price after aid at Mount St. Mary's University is $22,655 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mount St. Mary's University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $64,072 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $22,655 per year. That's roughly 2.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mount St. Mary's University known for?
Mount St. Mary's University is best known for its programs in Business, Business Administration, Criminology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Mount St. Mary's University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mount St. Mary's University are $64,072, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mount St. Mary's University accredited?
Yes. Mount St. Mary's University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Mount St. Mary's University?
Mount St. Mary's University enrolls 1,768 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mount St. Mary's University?
Mount St. Mary's University graduates 69% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mount St. Mary's University a public or private college?
Mount St. Mary's University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Mount St. Mary's University located?
Mount St. Mary's University is located in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
What programs does Mount St. Mary's University offer?
Mount St. Mary's University offers 47 distinct programs. The most popular include Business, Business Administration, Criminology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mount St. Mary's University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mount St. Mary's University is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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