Mount Saint Mary's University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Los Angeles, California. It enrolls 1,719 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.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
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
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes38
Value71
Affordability67
Selectivity56
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 73.1%, Mount Saint Mary's University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
73.1%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Mount Saint Mary's University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
20.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Mount Saint 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 $21,413 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$21,413
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
57%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
68%
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
$49,564
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,518
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,270
Books & Supplies
$2,530
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$7,404
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,404
Total Cost of Attendance
$66,726
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
$23,849
$30,001 – $48,000
$13,718
$48,001 – $75,000
$17,876
$75,001 – $110,000
$30,247
Over $110,000
$18,762
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.
$4,90210%percentile
$10,50025%percentile
$25,949Medianpercentile
$30,03375%percentile
$40,01890%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 $24,250
↓ $1,699
No Pell $14,548
↓ $11,401
Dependent students $22,250
↓ $3,699
Independent students $22,085
↓ $3,864
Female students $22,291
↓ $3,658
Male students $16,000
↓ $9,949
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,941, less than completers ($25,949), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
66% of full-time students who enrolled at Mount Saint Mary's University graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
66%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Mount Saint Mary's University earn a median of $72,379 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$72,379
Earning > $25K
86%
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
$61,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$88,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$58,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$62,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$72,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $27,300, about 31% 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 ↑
19.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 85% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Mount Saint Mary's University is home to 1,719 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,719
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 57.5%988
Asian 18.0%310
White 8.0%137
Black 6.5%111
Other 2.2%37
International 0.5%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mount Saint Mary's University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityLos Angeles, California
Housing
Partly residential601 beds available
Adult Learners
14%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Women's college
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Mount Saint Mary's University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
48 distinct programs across
18 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 Saint Mary's University is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$284M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$82,938
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
122 instructional faculty across 5 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
35
29%
$94,758
Associate Professors
34
28%
$84,683
Assistant Professors
41
34%
$78,925
Instructors
3
2%
$70,026
No Rank
9
7%
$52,969
Pros & Cons of Mount Saint Mary's University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mount Saint 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
Above-average post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Modest first-year retention
High published cost of attendance before aid
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Mount Saint Mary's University is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mount Saint Mary's University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mount Saint Mary's University.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University hard to get into?
Admissions at Mount Saint Mary's University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.1%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mount Saint Mary's University?
Mount Saint Mary's University has an acceptance rate of 73.1%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Mount Saint Mary's University cost?
The average net price after aid at Mount Saint Mary's University is $21,413 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $72,379 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $21,413 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mount Saint Mary's University known for?
Mount Saint Mary's University is best known for its programs in Nursing, Counseling Psychology, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Mount Saint Mary's University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mount Saint Mary's University are $72,379, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University accredited?
Yes. Mount Saint Mary's University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Mount Saint Mary's University?
Mount Saint Mary's University enrolls 1,719 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mount Saint Mary's University?
Mount Saint Mary's University graduates 66% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University a public or private college?
Mount Saint Mary's University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Mount Saint Mary's University located?
Mount Saint Mary's University is located in Los Angeles, California.
What programs does Mount Saint Mary's University offer?
Mount Saint Mary's University offers 48 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Counseling Psychology, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Saint Mary's University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Saint Mary's University is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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