Liberal arts college
#9 Best colleges in IndianaSaint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $25,292 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Senior Preview DayNovember 16, 2026Students spend a class with a current student; parents learn about admission and financial aid.More about Senior Preview DayAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Campus tour
Saint Mary's College Campus Tour! · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for social work in America#84 of 605
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges for nursing in America#164 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#176 of 1,132
- Best small colleges in America#141 of 906
- Best colleges for marketing in America#142 of 834
Show 13 more
- Best colleges for business in America#276 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#234 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#231 of 1,238
- Best colleges for psychology in America#297 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#391 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#281 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#298 of 1,358
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#156 of 690
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#417 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#341 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#294 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#280 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#293 of 1,215
In Indiana
- Best colleges for nursing in Indiana#3 of 30
- Best colleges for social work in Indiana#3 of 21
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Indiana#3 of 21
- Best small colleges in Indiana#3 of 20
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Indiana#6 of 39
- Best colleges for accounting in Indiana#5 of 31
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for business in Indiana#7 of 41
- Best colleges for education in Indiana#7 of 39
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Indiana#4 of 21
- Best colleges for psychology in Indiana#8 of 42
- Best colleges for marketing in Indiana#5 of 26
- Best test-optional colleges in Indiana#8 of 40
- Best colleges in Indiana#9 of 45
- Best colleges for English in Indiana#8 of 37
- Best colleges for art and design in Indiana#8 of 36
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Indiana#9 of 40
- Best colleges for history in Indiana#8 of 35
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Indiana#11 of 45
- Best colleges for mathematics in Indiana#9 of 36
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Indiana#8 of 31
- Best colleges for chemistry in Indiana#9 of 34
- Best colleges for music in Indiana#8 of 29
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.69%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.88%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,246 · ACT 28
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$16,031
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $66,478 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,424 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 0% · Women 100% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 20% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 65% |
| Total students | 1,518 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $25,292 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $66,478 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 69% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 74% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 73% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 84% |
| First-year retention | 88% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,354 |
| Admission rate | 76% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,105 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24% |
| Average SAT | 1246 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 580–680 |
| SAT math | 550–645 |
| ACT composite | 26–30 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Political science | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Social work |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Chemistry, Economics, English, Ethnic and gender studies, Fine arts, Global studies, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Management information systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other english language and literature/letters, Other mathematics and statistics, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,260 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 13%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 69%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $201,963IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 98% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | South Bend International Airport (SBN)About 3 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)About 77 miles away |
| Town population | 6,890Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Fort WayneAbout 72 miles away · about 2 hours 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 25°F in January · 73°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from South Bend, IN |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.62 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Saint Mary's College’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 21% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Saint Mary's College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $25,292 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Saint Mary's College?
- Saint Mary's College admitted 76% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Saint Mary's College’s graduates do?
- 69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $59,354; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 152390
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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