Mount St. Mary's University
#1 Best Education Colleges in Maryland- Graduation Rate
- 62% C+
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $64,072 A-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $22,655 D+
- 32% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 74% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 20.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.3 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Education Colleges in Maryland.
Every $1 spent returns $20.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,746,507.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 57% more than the national college median.
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Social mobility rate of 6.39% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $20.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Mount St. Mary's University Matters
Mount St. Mary's University is a private university in Emmitsburg, MD and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 1,768
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions
Why students choose Mount St. Mary's University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 74% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1046–1280. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,655 a year after grants and scholarships — 32% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $64,072 ten years after enrolling — 57% above the typical college, against $25,391 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 6.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 1% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.78 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Mount St. Mary's University might be a great fit for students looking for a close-knit community and a diverse range of academic programs. With an enrollment of just under 1,800 students, it emphasizes personalized learning. You’ll find strong offerings in Business and Marketing, Social Sciences, Computer Science and IT, as well as Biology, Biomedical, and Health Professions. This variety allows students to explore their interests in practical, career-oriented fields.
Looking ahead to life after graduation, the data shows that graduates earn an average of $64,072 within a decade of finishing their degree. That’s a solid starting point that reflects the university’s focus on preparing students for the workforce. The affordability factor is also worth noting; with a net price of $22,655 after financial aid, it’s relatively accessible. Although 31% of students receive Pell Grants, this indicates that there’s a commitment to support those with financial needs.
When it comes to the bottom line, students graduate with a median debt of $25,391, which is manageable compared to many other institutions. Those who thrive here tend to be proactive and engaged in their studies, taking advantage of the smaller class sizes and resources available. If you’re someone who appreciates a supportive environment and a practical approach to education, Mount St. Mary's could be a solid choice.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Mount St. Mary's University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Mount St. Mary's University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Emmitsburg, Maryland, Mount St. Mary's University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 74%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,176. The graduation rate is roughly 62%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Retention Rate
- 71%
- SAT Average
- 1176
- SAT Range
- 1046–1280
- ACT Range
- 19–27
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,399
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.70
- First-Gen Students
- 23%
- Applicants
- 4,346
- Admitted
- 3,458
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mount St. Mary's University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Mount St. Mary's University is $48,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,655. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,603 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,391 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $48,630
- Out-of-State
- $48,630
- Avg Net Price
- $22,655
- Median Debt
- $25,391
- Pell Grant Rate
- 31%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 51%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,603
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $20,067
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $21,942
- Family Income $110K+
- $31,330
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Mount St. Mary's University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Mount St. Mary's University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Mount St. Mary's University earn a median of $64,072, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $48,915
- 8 Years
- $58,069
- 10 Years
- $64,072
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.4x
- Earning > $25K
- 79%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (299)
- 59%
- 100% (299)
- 59%
- 100% (299)
- 59%
- 100% (299)
- 59%
How Mount Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Mount St. Mary's University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Mount St. Mary's University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,655/year ($90,620 total). Graduates earn $64,072 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,837,127 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,746,507 (20.3× your investment). The median debt is $25,391, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 62% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $90,620
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,837,127
- Net Return
- $1,746,507
- ROI Multiple
- 20.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $22,655
- Median Debt
- $25,391
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 62%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Mount St. Mary's University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Mount St. Mary's University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 6.39%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 30.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $48,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 6.39%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 30.1%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 21.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $65,895
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $2,868,982
Top Programs
The fields Mount St. Mary's University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 25% $66,725 early-career
- Social Sciences 11% $44,394 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 9% $58,103 early-career
- Health Professions 9%
- Biology & Biomedical 9% $25,014 early-career
- Psychology 6% $44,852 early-career
- Education 6% $50,714 early-career
- Communications 2% $48,592 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Mount St. Mary's University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Mount St. Mary's University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Emmitsburg, Maryland, Mount St. Mary's University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 74%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,176. The graduation rate is roughly 62%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mount St. Mary's University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Mount St. Mary's University is $48,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,655. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,603 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,391 in federal student loans.
Is Mount St. Mary's University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Mount St. Mary's University earn a median of $64,072, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Mount St. Mary's University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Mount St. Mary's University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 6.39%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 30.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $48,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Mount St. Mary's University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Mount St. Mary's University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Mount St. Mary's University.
- Emmanuel CollegeBoston, MA · Close peer67% grad $68,245 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Concordia University-IrvineIrvine, CA · Close peer60% grad $65,083 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN · Close peer67% grad $59,986 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- St. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's City, MD · Close peer69% grad $60,110 earn 69% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Wheaton College (Massachusetts)Norton, MA · Close peer74% grad $67,725 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY · Close peer57% grad $64,355 earn 81% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Mount St. Mary's University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Mount St. Mary's University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note