Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 70/100

Mount Saint Mary's University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Los Angeles, California

About Mount Saint Mary's University

Thinking about Mount Saint Mary's University, a college in California where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

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. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
73.1%
Graduation
65.5%
Net Price
$21,413
Median Earnings (10yr)
$72,379
Enrollment
1,719
Student : Faculty
11:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 38
Value 71
Affordability 67
Selectivity 56

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Mount Saint Mary's University admits 73.1% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
73.1%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants 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
89.7%201989.3%202090.1%202175.8%202268.7%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $21,413 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

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.

$4,902
10% percentile
$10,500
25% percentile
$25,949
Median percentile
$30,033
75% percentile
$40,018
90% 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
Pell recipients: 20.0% (5,182 students)No Pell: 12.0% (3,109 students)Dependent students: 18.3% (4,755 students)Independent students: 18.2% (4,720 students)Female students: 18.4% (4,764 students)Male students: 13.2% (3,419 students)Overall Median$25,949
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 students who start here finish within six years, and 72% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

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

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $72,379 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

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.

$60,000$63,000$67,000$70,000$74,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
65.3%1yr72.1%3yr78.3%5yr85.1%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 85% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,719 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 50% are the first in their family to go to college.

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
Hispanic: 57.5% (988 students)Asian: 18.0% (310 students)White: 8.0% (137 students)Black: 6.5% (111 students)Other: 2.2% (37 students)International: 0.5% (9 students)Total1,719

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 City Los Angeles, California
Housing
Partly residential 601 beds available
Adult Learners
14% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Women's college
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Psychology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

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.

7 Programs
5 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs
5 Programs
3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

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

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Mount Saint Mary's University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

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

The questions families ask most about Mount Saint Mary's University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

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?
73.1% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Mount Saint Mary's University cost?
Budget around $21,413 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $72,379 a year against a net price of $21,413, about 3.4 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mount Saint Mary's University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Counseling Psychology, Psychology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Mount Saint Mary's University graduates earn?
About $72,379 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
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?
1,719 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Mount Saint Mary's University?
66% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
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?
48 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Counseling Psychology, Psychology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Saint Mary's University?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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