Saint Mary's College of California is a private nonprofit smaller four-year college in Moraga, CA, focused on bachelor’s-level study, a Hispanic-serving institution with a suburban campus setting, with about 1,947 undergraduates, an acceptance rate of about 86.5%, listed tuition around $57,803 and typical net price of $30,378 after grants, first-year retention of 85.4%, about 70.3% of students graduating within six years, and median earnings of $60,388 six years after enrollment.

Grade for Saint Mary's College of California

Letter grades from Best Universities methodology. Overall grade blends the categories below for schools in that ranking cohort.

Overall grade

C

Best Universities compares this school with national benchmarks for similar institutions.

How are grades calculated?

Affordability
D-

$30,378Average net price

Outcomes
B+

70.3%Graduation rate

Career
A

$60,388Median earnings, 6 years after entry

Economic Access
C-

26.7%Pell Grant recipient share

Key facts for Saint Mary's College of California

Tuition (in-state)
$57,803
Tuition (out-of-state)
$57,803
Total cost of attendance
$77,659
Average net price
$30,378
Acceptance rate
86.5%
Total enrollment
1,947
Graduation rate
70.3%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$60,388

Key rankings for Saint Mary's College of California

Where Saint Mary's College of California ranks among four-year colleges nationwide on selected cost and outcome measures. Rank 1 is best on that measure (lowest cost or debt; highest earnings, retention, or graduation). These are single-measure standings, not Best Universities list placement.

#1,543 of 1,811

Net Price

#265 of 1,816

Earnings

#422 of 1,808

Retention

#396 of 1,850

Graduation

#933 of 1,767

Debt

What stands out at Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, CA is a four-year college where bachelor’s-level study is the main focus.

  • Large suburb
  • 1,947 undergraduates
Average net price$30,378
Acceptance rate86.5%
Pell Grant recipient share26.7%
Graduation rate70.3%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry$60,388
First-year retention85.4%

Both average net price after aid and six-year earnings register above national medians for similar schools, consistent with a higher cost that is paired with stronger early-career pay in this data.

First-year retention and graduation both track at or above national benchmarks for similar schools, suggesting relatively steady progress for students who start here.

The college admits a large share of applicants yet reports a smaller-than-typical Pell Grant share among undergraduates—useful context when discussing affordability with middle- and higher-income families.

Best Universities methodology explains how grades and ranked-list placements are calculated.

Student measures: Cost, completion, earnings, retention, and debt.

Institution context: Enrollment, demographics, faculty, setting, and admissions.

At a glance

Cost, outcomes & access at Saint Mary's College of California

Two related measures side by side for a quick scan.

Net Price and Earnings

Average net price (after aid)
$30,378
Median earnings 6 years after entry
$60,388

Retention and Graduation

First-year retention
85.4%
Graduation rate (within 6 years)
70.3%

Acceptance and Pell Grant Share

Acceptance rate
86.5%
Undergraduate Pell recipient share
26.7%
Total cost and tuition

Annual figures on one dollar scale, so bar lengths are comparable within this chart. Total cost of attendance covers tuition, fees, and living costs. Listed tuition is the price before aid; average net price is what students paid after grants and scholarships.

Total cost of attendance$77,659
Listed tuition (in-state)$57,803
Listed tuition (out-of-state)$57,803
Room and board (on campus)$17,600
Average net price (after aid)$30,378

In-state tuition is above the national median of $19,284 for similar four-year colleges, while out-of-state tuition is above the national median of $26,816.

How Saint Mary's College of California compares

Figures are for four-year colleges. State, region, and national columns use the middle value (median) for similar schools; retention uses averages for region and nation. Region shown: Far West (region 8).

This school vs state, regional, and national benchmarks

Net price

This school$30,378
State (CA)$25,305
Region$22,778
National$19,923

Earnings, 6 years

This school$60,388
State (CA)$51,784
Region$49,182
National$45,225

Retention

This school85.4%
State (CA)82.5%
Region78.1%
National74.9%

Graduation

This school70.3%
State (CA)61.5%
Region59.7%
National54.4%

Median debt

This school$23,691
State (CA)$22,000
Region$21,370
National$23,250

Swipe sideways to compare state, region, and national figures.

Measure This school State (CA) Region Nation
Net price$30,378Above national median$25,305$22,778$19,923
Earnings, 6 years$60,388Above national median$51,784$49,182$45,225
Retention85.4%Above national median82.5%78.1%74.9%
Graduation70.3%Above national median61.5%59.7%54.4%
Acceptance rate86.5%Above national median75.2%79.6%77.0%
Pell share26.7%Below national median35.1%32.7%33.9%
Median debt$23,691Above national median$22,000$21,370$23,250
3-year cohort default rate0.0%About the same0.0%0.0%0.0%

Recent 3-year cohort default rates are near zero because of the federal student loan payment pause and are not useful for school-to-school comparison.

Campus & institution details for Saint Mary's College of California

Campus settingLarge suburb
Student–faculty ratio10:1
Full-time faculty61.1%
Avg monthly faculty salary$11,429

Share of undergraduates in each group. Gender and race or ethnicity are reported separately, so each set totals about 100%.

Women54.3%
Men45.7%
Black or African American4.9%
Hispanic / Latino33.2%
White37.3%
Asian8.3%
Two or more races8.6%
International students2.4%

Confirm program details and current staffing on the college website.

Frequently asked questions about Saint Mary's College of California

Common questions about Saint Mary's College of California, answered with Best Universities cost and outcome figures. For how we rank schools, use the methodology link in the header; for deadlines and aid, rely on the college’s official site.

Where is Saint Mary's College of California located?

Saint Mary's College of California is located in Moraga, CA. If the college has more than one campus, confirm addresses and program locations on the school's official site or with the admissions office.

What kind of school is Saint Mary's College of California?

Saint Mary's College of California is a private nonprofit four-year college. Best Universities compares it with similar four-year institutions for ranking and benchmark purposes.

How much does it cost to attend Saint Mary's College of California (tuition and net price)?

Listed sticker tuition is $57,803 for in-state students and $57,803 for out-of-state students. Average net price (typical annual cost after grant and scholarship aid for full-time, first-time undergraduates) is about $30,378. Your actual net price depends on income, residency, and aid.

What is Saint Mary's College of California's acceptance rate?

The overall undergraduate acceptance rate is about 86.5% for the year shown. Selectivity can vary by program or campus; check admissions for the path you care about.

How large is Saint Mary's College of California's undergraduate student body?

Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,947. Enrollment changes over time and may span multiple campuses depending on how the school reports.

What are completion and earnings outcomes for Saint Mary's College of California?

Median earnings six years after entry at Saint Mary's College of California are roughly $60,388. Outcomes vary widely by major, occupation, and region. About 70.3% of students graduate on time or soon after. Individual trajectories differ from these population-level measures.

How does Best Universities rank Saint Mary's College of California?

Among similar schools nationwide, Saint Mary's College of California stands as follows on selected measures: Average net price (#1,543 of 1,811); Median earnings, 6 years after entry (#265 of 1,816); First-year retention (#422 of 1,808); Graduation rate (#396 of 1,850); Median loan debt (#933 of 1,767). Those are single-measure ranks, not a single overall list place. See the methodology page for how Best Universities builds ranked lists.

Where should I go for admissions and official information about Saint Mary's College of California?

For application deadlines, requirements, campus visits, and program lists, use Saint Mary's College of California’s official website. Best Universities publishes cost and outcome figures for comparison; it does not replace the institution’s admissions or financial aid office.

All figures for Saint Mary's College of California Expand to view

A fuller table of the figures Best Universities uses for this school. Useful if you are double-checking a number.

All figures for Saint Mary's College of California
FieldValue
InstitutionSaint Mary's College of California
Official websitehttps://www.stmarys-ca.edu/
City, stateMoraga, CA
School typeFour-year college
Undergraduate enrollment1,947
Listed tuition (in-state)$57,803
Listed tuition (out-of-state)$57,803
Listed tuition (generic)$57,803
Total cost of attendance$77,659
Room and board (on campus)$17,600
Average net price$30,378
Median earnings, 6 years after entry$60,388
Median earnings, 8 years after entry$72,012
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$78,812
Median loan debt$23,691
3-year cohort default rate0.0%
First-year retention85.4%
Graduation rate (4-year programs)70.3%
Graduation rate (shorter programs)Not reported
Acceptance rate86.5%
SAT averageNot reported
ACT averageNot reported
Pell Grant share26.7%
Share with federal loans41.7%
Part-time enrollment share5.1%
Campus settingLarge suburb
Student–faculty ratio10
Avg monthly faculty salary$11,429
Full-time faculty share61.1%
Online onlyNo
HBCUNo
SAT midpoint, MathNot reported
SAT midpoint, Reading & WritingNot reported
Share of undergraduates, women54.3%
Share of undergraduates, men45.7%
Share of undergraduates, Black4.9%
Share of undergraduates, Hispanic33.2%
Share of undergraduates, White37.3%
Share of undergraduates, Asian8.3%
Share of undergraduates, two or more races8.6%
Share of undergraduates, international2.4%
Net price, family income $0–30kNot reported
Net price, family income $30–48kNot reported
Net price, family income $48–75kNot reported
Net price, family income $75–110kNot reported
Net price, family income $110k+Not reported

Sources for Saint Mary's College of California

Figures from the same school data Best Universities uses for rankings. Shortlist with them, then verify on the college’s official site.