National university
#2 Best colleges in North DakotaUniversity of Mary
Bismarck, ND · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $18,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $24,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Campus Tour: University of Mary · 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 NCAA Division II athletes in America#39 of 292
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#109 of 681
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#184 of 1,046
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#126 of 690
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#145 of 682
- Best colleges for social work in America#140 of 605
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In North Dakota
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in North Dakota#1 of 9
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in North Dakota#1 of 8
- Best colleges for chemistry in North Dakota#1 of 8
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in North Dakota#1 of 8
- Best colleges for education in North Dakota#1 of 8
- Best colleges for English in North Dakota#1 of 8
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.67%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,159 · ACT 23.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,897
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 paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $33,672 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
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) | 2,650 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 40% · Women 60% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 18% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 66% |
| Total students | 3,794 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $18,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $33,672 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $24,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 67% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 51% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 50% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 76% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $60,909 |
| Admission rate | 75% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $30 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,030 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 21% |
| Average SAT | 1159 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 580–680 |
| SAT math | 530–660 |
| ACT composite | 21–26 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 32% (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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Allied health | |
| Accounting | |
| Psychology | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Secondary education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Communication studies |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biology, Business/Corporate Communications, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Clinical and counseling psychology, Clinical laboratory science, Computer engineering, Computer science, Computing and information science, Construction Management, Criminal justice, Economics, Electrical engineering, Engineering (general), English, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and human development, Finance, Health administration, History, Human services, Information science, Information technology, Management information systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Other mathematics and statistics, Philosophy, Physiology and pathology, Political science, Public relations, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious Music and Worship, Religious studies, Romance languages, Social work, Sociology, Special education, Theatre, Theology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Rural |
| Part-time undergraduates | 13% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 12% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $9,276 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 5%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 62%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $22,427IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 54% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS)About 3 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 75,556Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MinneapolisAbout 380 miles away · about 7 hours 40 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 13°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Bismarck, ND, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is University of Mary’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 30% 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 University of Mary cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $18,000 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 University of Mary?
- University of Mary admitted 75% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of Mary’s graduates do?
- 67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $60,909; the median federal debt at graduation is $24,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 200217
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
- Report an error or a newer source
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: University of Mary vs The College of Saint Scholastica · University of Mary vs Mount Marty · University of Mary vs Benedictine · University of Mary vs Saint Martin's
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