Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is a open-access private nonprofit smaller four-year college in Winona, MN, focused on bachelor’s-level study with a rural campus setting, with about 1,073 undergraduates, an acceptance rate of about 92.8%, listed tuition around $45,080 and typical net price of $11,704 after grants, first-year retention of 74.6%, about 66.0% of students graduating within six years, and median earnings of $54,549 six years after enrollment.

Grade for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

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

Overall grade

B-

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

How are grades calculated?

Affordability
B+

$11,704Average net price

Outcomes
C+

66.0%Graduation rate

Career
B+

$54,549Median earnings, 6 years after entry

Economic Access
D+

24.5%Pell Grant recipient share

Key facts for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Tuition (in-state)
$45,080
Tuition (out-of-state)
$45,080
Total cost of attendance
$57,380
Average net price
$11,704
Acceptance rate
92.8%
Total enrollment
1,073
Graduation rate
66.0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$54,549

Key rankings for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Where Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 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.

#270 of 1,811

Net Price

#400 of 1,816

Earnings

#1,013 of 1,808

Retention

#545 of 1,850

Graduation

#624 of 1,767

Debt

What stands out at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona, MN is a four-year college where bachelor’s-level study is the main focus.

  • Town (somewhat rural)
  • 1,073 undergraduates
Average net price$11,704
Acceptance rate92.8%
Pell Grant recipient share24.5%
Graduation rate66.0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry$54,549
First-year retention74.6%

Average net price after aid is lower than or close to the national median for similar schools, while six-year earnings meet or beat that median. On these two measures the pattern is comparatively favorable.

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 University of Minnesota

Two related measures side by side for a quick scan.

Net Price and Earnings

Average net price (after aid)
$11,704
Median earnings 6 years after entry
$54,549

Retention and Graduation

First-year retention
74.6%
Graduation rate (within 6 years)
66.0%

Acceptance and Pell Grant Share

Acceptance rate
92.8%
Undergraduate Pell recipient share
24.5%
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$57,380
Listed tuition (in-state)$45,080
Listed tuition (out-of-state)$45,080
Room and board (on campus)$11,200
Average net price (after aid)$11,704

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 University of Minnesota 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: Plains (region 4).

This school vs state, regional, and national benchmarks

Net price

This school$11,704
State (MN)$20,148
Region$20,194
National$19,923

Earnings, 6 years

This school$54,549
State (MN)$48,500
Region$46,267
National$45,225

Retention

This school74.6%
State (MN)78.6%
Region71.6%
National74.9%

Graduation

This school66.0%
State (MN)58.9%
Region54.0%
National54.4%

Median debt

This school$21,500
State (MN)$21,500
Region$22,368
National$23,250

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

Measure This school State (MN) Region Nation
Net price$11,704Below national median$20,148$20,194$19,923
Earnings, 6 years$54,549Above national median$48,500$46,267$45,225
Retention74.6%About the same78.6%71.6%74.9%
Graduation66.0%Above national median58.9%54.0%54.4%
Acceptance rate92.8%Above national median83.7%79.0%77.0%
Pell share24.5%Below national median24.5%30.4%33.9%
Median debt$21,500Below national median$21,500$22,368$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 University of Minnesota

Campus settingTown (somewhat rural)
Official websitewww.smumn.edu/
Student–faculty ratio18:1
Full-time faculty27.2%
Avg monthly faculty salary$7,511

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

Women55.4%
Men44.6%
Black or African American9.1%
Hispanic / Latino8.8%
White58.0%
Asian3.4%
Two or more races0.8%
International students1.8%

Confirm program details and current staffing on the college website.

Frequently asked questions about Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Common questions about Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, 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 University of Minnesota located?

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is located in Winona, MN. 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 University of Minnesota?

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 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 University of Minnesota (tuition and net price)?

Listed sticker tuition is $45,080 for in-state students and $45,080 for out-of-state students. Average net price (typical annual cost after grant and scholarship aid for full-time, first-time undergraduates) is about $11,704. Your actual net price depends on income, residency, and aid.

What is Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's acceptance rate?

The overall undergraduate acceptance rate is about 92.8% 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 University of Minnesota's undergraduate student body?

Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,073. 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 University of Minnesota?

Median earnings six years after entry at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota are roughly $54,549. Outcomes vary widely by major, occupation, and region. About 66.0% of students graduate on time or soon after. Individual trajectories differ from these population-level measures.

How does Best Universities rank Saint Mary's University of Minnesota?

Among similar schools nationwide, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota stands as follows on selected measures: Average net price (#270 of 1,811); Median earnings, 6 years after entry (#400 of 1,816); First-year retention (#1,013 of 1,808); Graduation rate (#545 of 1,850); Median loan debt (#624 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 University of Minnesota?

For application deadlines, requirements, campus visits, and program lists, use Saint Mary's University of Minnesota’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 University of Minnesota 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 University of Minnesota
FieldValue
InstitutionSaint Mary's University of Minnesota
Official websitewww.smumn.edu/
City, stateWinona, MN
School typeFour-year college
Undergraduate enrollment1,073
Listed tuition (in-state)$45,080
Listed tuition (out-of-state)$45,080
Listed tuition (generic)$45,080
Total cost of attendance$57,380
Room and board (on campus)$11,200
Average net price$11,704
Median earnings, 6 years after entry$54,549
Median earnings, 8 years after entry$58,719
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$58,170
Median loan debt$21,500
3-year cohort default rate0.0%
First-year retention74.6%
Graduation rate (4-year programs)66.0%
Graduation rate (shorter programs)Not reported
Acceptance rate92.8%
SAT averageNot reported
ACT averageNot reported
Pell Grant share24.5%
Share with federal loans45.9%
Part-time enrollment share18.1%
Campus settingTown (somewhat rural)
Student–faculty ratio18
Avg monthly faculty salary$7,511
Full-time faculty share27.2%
Online onlyNo
HBCUNo
SAT midpoint, MathNot reported
SAT midpoint, Reading & WritingNot reported
Share of undergraduates, women55.4%
Share of undergraduates, men44.6%
Share of undergraduates, Black9.1%
Share of undergraduates, Hispanic8.8%
Share of undergraduates, White58.0%
Share of undergraduates, Asian3.4%
Share of undergraduates, two or more races0.8%
Share of undergraduates, international1.8%
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 University of Minnesota

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