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St. Mary's University

San Antonio , TX

St. Mary's University, founded in 1852, is a private Catholic liberal arts university located in San Antonio, Texas. It is one of the oldest Catholic universities in the state and is known for providing an exceptional education rooted in the Marianist tradition. St. Mary's offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs through its four schools and colleges: the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Science, Engineering and Technology, the Greehey School of Business, and the St. Mary's University School of Law.

At St. Mary's, students are provided with a nurturing and inclusive environment that encourages intellectual and personal growth. The university is committed to fostering a sense of community and service, and values the development of well-rounded individuals who are dedicated to making a positive impact in society. Students have the opportunity to engage in various extracurricular activities, including over 80 clubs and organizations, community service projects, and cultural events that enhance their college experience.

St. Mary's is known for its strong academic programs and distinguished faculty members who are experts in their fields. The university offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate majors, including popular programs in business, biology, engineering, criminal justice, and psychology. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, St. Mary's provides students with access to internships, research opportunities, and study abroad programs, which enable them to gain real-world experience and broaden their perspectives. With a commitment to academic excellence, St. Mary's University prepares students for successful careers and lifelong learning.

Located in San Antonio, TX, St. Mary's University is a private upper-level higher education institution with graduate programs. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 97%. The freshman retention rate at St. Mary's University is 73% and the six-year graduation rate is 59%.

To find out more about what St. Mary's University has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.

Quick Facts

2,150

Total Number of Undergraduate Students

$37,284

Tuition

13:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

59%

Graduation Rate

Admissions

Learning as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission increases your chances of getting admitted. How difficult is it to get admitted to St. Mary's University and what are the admission requirements?

According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 4,618 in 2025. St. Mary's University has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant decides to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is relatively noncompetitive.

Test Scores

Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 35% and ACT scores 10%. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 5.41, 43.24 between 24-29, 29.73 in the range between 18-23, and 21.62 between 12-17.

The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2025 was 22 and the average GPA was 3.57. That means you'll most likely need an above-average GPA to get accepted as well as an above-average ACT score.

The SAT Critical Reading average score was 550 for the admitted students, while the average SAT Math score was 530.

Average Test Scores

Retention Rate

The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. 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 St. Mary's University was 73% in 2025, demonstrating the exceptional quality of the educational experience at this institution.

Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 59%.

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 institution enrolled 3,457 students.

That year, the institution had 4.65% of out-of-state students. There was a total of 2,150 undergrad students, including 147 international students. The school reported to have a total of 103 transfer students.

Student Population Gender Ratio

The student body is coeducational, with 1,179 male and 1,721 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the importance this institution places on gender equality. This school had 392 full-time graduate male and 515 full-time graduate female students at this school.

Student Population Diversity

Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at St. Mary's University.

This school had 22 Asian students and 41 Afro-American students in 2025. 1,043 undergraduates at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 18 as multirace. The school also had 4 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 13 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 461 students whose ethnicity is unknown.

Cost

One of the most crucial things to take into account when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some important data on St. Mary's University costs that most students encounter at this school.

Tuition and Fees

Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition price for this university.

In 2025, tuition amounted to $37,284 for all full-time domestic students. As this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 had to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,386.

Books and Supplies

The approximate price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another important expense. The approximate expense of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,300.

Boarding

Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do colleges and universities typically charge for room and board?

The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at St. Mary's University was $13,342 in 2025. If you only wanted a dormitory room, it cost $8,064 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $2,500.

Tuition $ 37,284
Room and Board $ 13,342
Book and Supplies $ 1,300
Total Expense $ 51,926

Financial Aid

Be it a grant, loan, scholarship, or work-study program, any type of financial aid can be a great deal for many students. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at St. Mary's University, here are some recent data you should consider.

The most recent records show that 435 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $30,267.

Need-based

If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.

There were 1,323 students who secured need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at St. Mary's University is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 1,340. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $5,206,528, and state $4,183,617. The students of St. Mary's University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $23,421,832, and external in the amount of $523,836.

$23,842

Average Amount of Aid Received

Non-Need Based

Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Most students get non-need-based financial aid as Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the TEACH Grant.

123 students, including freshmen, received 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 46 full-time freshmen. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $11,210,465. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $197,605 USD.

Majors

Faculty

13:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.

According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at St. Mary's University was 13:1: that means 13 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 348. This number included 197 male and 151 female faculty members.

Student Population Diversity Graph

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100
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100

Campus Life

Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some details about campus life at St. Mary's University.

It has a campus size of 135 acres.

Student Organizations

A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.

This school has 85 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. This number includes sororities and fraternities. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 14 and female students 15. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Alpha Phi - Social Sorority, followed by Delta Zeta - Social Sorority and Sigma Sigma Sigma - Social Sorority. Other popular organizations at St. Mary's University are Lamda Chi Alpha - Social Fraternity and Gamma Lota Sigma - Risk Management RSO.

There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. For students looking to explore media and communication, St. Mary's University publishes its own newspaper.

Student Services

At St. Mary's University, there are many amenities required for a pleasant and safe life on campus.

24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. Dormitory entrances at the school are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.

This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services and Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of St. Mary's University.

All in all, campus life at St. Mary's University 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 St. Mary's University.

Career Counselling

At St. Mary's University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a job bank and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.

Job Placement

Being aware of the projected salary upon finishing your studies can be important in determining if a specific school is in line with your career ambitions.

The average annual salary for graduates employed six months after graduation from this institution is 66,147 USD.

$66,147

Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation

FAQ

St. Mary's University is located in San Antonio, TX.

St. Mary's University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.

According to the latest information, the tuition for St. Mary's University is 37,284 USD a year.

This school uses standardized test scores for admission.

The most recent reported acceptance rate for St. Mary's University is 97%.

The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for St. Mary's University is 73%.

Contact Information

St. Mary's University

One Camino Santa Maria

San Antonio , TX

78228

210 436-3011

School Website

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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