Saint Mary's (CA): A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially Saint Mary's College of California · Moraga, California · Private nonprofit · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- Early Action
- 4,309
- Applicants
- 3,816
- Admitted89%
- 563
- Enrolled
- 15%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Open access89% admittedRanked #3 (tie) in Regional Universities West; Business Programs #301 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by Saint Mary's College of California (see the source), read on 2026-06-14.
Is Saint Mary's (CA) a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Saint Mary's (CA) against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Saint Mary's (CA) is a private nonprofit university in Moraga, California that admits about 89% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $30,378 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business/Commerce, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Biology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 69% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Saint Mary's (CA) is a private institution located in Moraga, California. For the most recent reporting cycle, Saint Mary's (CA) admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 89%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $30,378 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Saint Mary's (CA)?
59% of enrolled students at Saint Mary's (CA) had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.58, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
Compare Saint Mary's (CA) with the other schools on your list
Open Saint Mary's (CA) in College Search to set it beside up to three other colleges on cost, admission odds and outcomes, and save it to a shortlist when you are ready.
What does Saint Mary's (CA) weight in admissions?
Saint Mary's (CA) reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Important
1- First generation status
Considered
13- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered
2- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Saint Mary's (CA) typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year, so check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Scores not required; applicants with or without scores evaluated equally for admission and merit scholarships.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Saint Mary's (CA)'s admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
How much does Saint Mary's (CA) actually cost?
Published tuition is $57,803 for in-state students and $57,803 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,600 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $30,378 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $59,251 |
| Room and board | $18,198 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $30,378 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 82% |
| Average need-based grant | $43,940 |
| Average merit award, no financial need158 first-year students received one | $26,664 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 51% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $30,918 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $60 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Saint Mary's (CA)
| Regular deadline | January 15 |
| Notification date | December 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from Saint Mary's (CA)?
These predict outcomes at Saint Mary's (CA) better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Saint Mary's (CA)
The most popular undergraduate programs at Saint Mary's (CA), measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business/Commerce, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Biology, General. Across all programs, Saint Mary's (CA) confers roughly 426 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business/Commerce, General program report a median income of about $95,040 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | 148 | $95,040 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 64 | $63,470 |
| Biology, General | 44 | $65,439 |
| Psychology, General | 40 | $50,583 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 37 | $63,474 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 36 | $69,855 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 30 | $73,418 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 27 | $57,008 |
Is Saint Mary's (CA) safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Saint Mary's (CA) disclosed 7 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 3 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Saint Mary's (CA)?
About 67% of undergraduates at Saint Mary's (CA) live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- California State University-Chico93% acceptance
- Sonoma State University93% acceptance
- California State University-East Bay97% acceptance
- California State University-San Bernardino94% acceptance
- California State University-Dominguez Hills93% acceptance
- California State University-Stanislaus98% acceptance
- California State University-Bakersfield94% acceptance
- California State University-Monterey Bay97% acceptance
Next steps for Saint Mary's (CA)
Common questions parents ask about Saint Mary's (CA)
What GPA do I need for Saint Mary's (CA)?
59% of enrolled students at Saint Mary's (CA) had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.58, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Saint Mary's (CA) typically admit?
Saint Mary's (CA) does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Scores are optional here, and a strong one can still help when the rest of the application is borderline.
How much does Saint Mary's (CA) actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Saint Mary's (CA) after grants and scholarships is $30,378 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $57,803. Budget against the net figure.
Is Saint Mary's (CA) realistic for my child?
Saint Mary's (CA) admits 89% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $30,378 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Saint Mary's (CA)?
Saint Mary's (CA) accepts about 89% of applicants out of roughly 4,309 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is Saint Mary's (CA) test-optional?
Yes. Saint Mary's (CA) is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Saint Mary's (CA)?
About 69% of students at Saint Mary's (CA) graduate within six years. 85% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Saint Mary's (CA) look for in applicants?
Saint Mary's (CA) rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Saint Mary's (CA) a public or private school, and where is it located?
Saint Mary's (CA) is a private nonprofit institution located in Moraga, California.
What are the most popular majors at Saint Mary's (CA)?
The largest undergraduate majors at Saint Mary's (CA) by annual graduates are Business/Commerce, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Biology, General. The school awards about 426 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Saint Mary's (CA) safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Saint Mary's (CA) reported 7 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Saint Mary's (CA)?
At Saint Mary's (CA), 67% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Saint Mary's College of California, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers