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Notre Dame , IN
Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic women's college located in Notre Dame, Indiana. Established in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the college offers a strong liberal arts education with a focus on empowering women and promoting social justice. With a beautiful campus spanning over 100 acres, the college provides a nurturing and inclusive environment for students to grow academically, spiritually, and personally.
At Saint Mary's College, academic excellence is a top priority. The college offers a wide range of undergraduate programs across various disciplines, including majors in the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and business. Small class sizes ensure that students receive individual attention and mentoring from highly qualified faculty members. The liberal arts curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills, preparing students for successful careers and lifelong learning.
In addition to academics, Saint Mary's College offers a vibrant campus life. Students can engage in a variety of extracurricular activities, including more than 60 student-led clubs and organizations, intramural sports, and community service opportunities. The college also has a strong athletics program, with NCAA Division III teams in sports like basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. Furthermore, the campus is home to a number of cultural and recreational facilities, including art galleries, a fitness center, and a serene lakeside park.
With its commitment to academic excellence, inclusivity, and social justice, Saint Mary's College provides a distinctive and empowering college experience for women. Students at Saint Mary's benefit from a comprehensive education that prepares them to make a positive impact in their professional fields and communities, while also fostering personal growth and spiritual development.
Saint Mary's College is a private four-year college located in Notre Dame, IN. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 76%. The freshman retention rate at Saint Mary's College is 88.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 69%.
Find out more about what you can expect if you get into Saint Mary's College.
Quick Facts
1,495
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$53,934
Tuition
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
69%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Read on to learn some essential info about admission at Saint Mary's College.
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,966 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
52% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 15% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 7% of the first-year students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 38% between 1,200 and 1,399, 45% between 1,000 and 1,199, 8% between 800 and 999, and 1% of the students between 600 and 799. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 22, 53 between 24-29, 22 in the range between 18-23, and 3 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the admitted students in 2025 was 26 while the average GPA was 3.91. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Saint Mary's College; the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 596 and an average SAT Math score of 571.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. Why is that metric important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Saint Mary's College was 88.1% in 2025, a reflection of the high standards and excellent educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 69%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. You can better understand the culture and life of the school by getting to know more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 1,593 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 63% for that year. There was a total of 1,495 undergraduate students, including 14 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 31.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is women only for undergraduate, and coed for graduate, with 1 male and 1,521 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the value gender equality has at this school.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 22, while the number of Afro-American students was 31. 237 undergraduate students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 48 as multirace. The school also had 2 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 3 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 15 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to think about before applying to any college or university. Here are some data on the expenses that most students at this institution have.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition price for this university.
Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $53,934 in 2025. Since Saint Mary's College is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were mandated to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,159.
Books and Supplies
Another important financial factor to consider is the approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $300.
Boarding
Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
In 2025, the price of room and board at Saint Mary's College was $14,474 per academic year. If you only needed a room on the campus, you had to pay $8,831 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $8,646.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 53,934 |
| Room and Board | $ 14,474 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 300 |
| Total Expense | $ 68,708 |
Financial Aid
Getting some financial support in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for completing your studies. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid available at Saint Mary's College.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 283 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $47,567 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
There were 615 students who obtained need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Saint Mary's College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 948. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution came to $2,512,574, and state $2,411,983. The students of Saint Mary's College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $30,205,753, and external in the amount of $670,050.
$32,055
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
921 students, including freshmen, obtained institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 283 full-time freshmen. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $10,429,476. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $1,198,987 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
In 2025, this ratio at Saint Mary's College was 10:1. That means that there were 10 times more students than teachers at this school. The faculty of this school consists of 189 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 58 male and 131 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Saint Mary's College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Saint Mary's College is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some info about social life at Saint Mary's College.
It has a campus size of 100 acres.
Student Organizations
Participating in multiple student organizations can add depth and fulfillment to your educational journey.
There are 75 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Student Diversity Board, followed by Residence Hall Association and Student Activities Board. Other popular organizations among the students at Saint Mary's College are Dance Marathon and Student Government Association.
Students who have a talent for music can join the Saint Mary's College band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Saint Mary's College publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
Saint Mary's College offers a number of services important for a pleasant and secure life on campus.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Saint Mary's College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Saint Mary's College.
Career Counselling
At Saint Mary's College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career.
FAQ
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Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN.
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Saint Mary's College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the tuition for Saint Mary's College is 53,934 USD a year.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Saint Mary's College is 76%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Saint Mary's College is 88.1%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.