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St. Mary's University

Private nonprofit San Antonio, TX · Urban · Southwest · 100% data
B+ Earnings B Diversity C Graduation
Graduation Rate
60% C
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$56,955 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$21,145 D+
23% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
98% F
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +40% vs avg
Graduation +4% vs avg
Net Price 23% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 18.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.8 over 20 years.

18.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,509,631.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 40% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $18.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why St. Mary's University Matters

St. Mary's University is a private university in San Antonio, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. 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
1,951
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI · 30
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Criminal Justice, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose St. Mary's University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 46% overall
B+
Earnings
$56,955 median
C
Value
2.7× net price
D+
Affordability
$21,145/yr net
C
Graduation
60% graduate
F
Selectivity
98% admit rate
B
Diversity
0.70 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, is a great fit for students looking for a supportive environment where they can thrive academically and personally. With an acceptance rate of 98%, it welcomes a diverse range of students who are interested in programs like Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, and Criminal Justice. The focus here is on a well-rounded education that prepares students for various career paths.

After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $56,955 within ten years. This figure is a solid indicator of the potential return on investment for those who choose to study here. The cost of attendance is manageable, especially considering the student demographic; 39% of students receive Pell Grants, which help to offset the financial burden. This suggests that many graduates are able to find their footing in the workforce and improve their economic standing over time.

When it comes to the practicalities of financing your education, the net price after aid at St. Mary's is about $21,145, and the median debt load for graduates stands at $25,563. This balance makes it feasible for students to pursue their degrees without being overly burdened by debt. Those who tend to thrive here are often individuals looking for a close-knit community and a strong support system, ready to engage with their studies and take advantage of the opportunities available.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective 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.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into St. Mary's University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in San Antonio, Texas, St. Mary's University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,089. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

Acceptance Rate
98%
Retention Rate
73%
SAT Average
1089
SAT Range
900–1310
ACT Range
15–27
Full-Time Faculty
63%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,724
Student–Faculty Ratio
11:1
Diversity Index
0.70
First-Gen Students
39%
Applicants
5,369
Admitted
4,629

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 St. Mary's University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at St. Mary's University is $37,434, 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 $21,145. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,352 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,563 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$37,434
Out-of-State
$37,434
Avg Net Price
$21,145
Median Debt
$25,563
Pell Grant Rate
39%
Federal Loan Rate
46%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$18,352
Family Income $30K–$48K
$21,470
Family Income $48K–$75K
$20,553
Family Income $110K+
$24,649

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 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.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is St. Mary's University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of St. Mary's University earn a median of $56,955, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$44,130
8 Years
$49,928
10 Years
$56,955
Debt-to-Earnings
0.45x
Earning > $25K
71%

Earnings Trajectory

$44,130 6yr $49,928 8yr $56,955 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (224)
48%
100% (224)
48%
100% (224)
48%
100% (224)
48%

How St. Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation60%Earnings 10yr$57KNet Price$21KRetention73%Median Debt$26KPell Grant Rate39%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$18K$0-30K$21K$30-48K$21K$48-75K$25K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is 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, St. Mary's University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $21,145/year ($84,580 total). Graduates earn $56,955 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,594,211 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,509,631 (18.8× your investment). The median debt is $25,563, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$84,580
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,594,211
Net Return
$1,509,631
ROI Multiple
18.8×
Cost Per Year
$21,145
Median Debt
$25,563
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
60%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is 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 St. Mary's University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), 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.

Economic Connectedness
1.58
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.2%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-9,963,845

Top Programs

The fields 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into St. Mary's University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in San Antonio, Texas, St. Mary's University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,089. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend St. Mary's University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at St. Mary's University is $37,434, 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 $21,145. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,352 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,563 in federal student loans.

Is St. Mary's University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of St. Mary's University earn a median of $56,955, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is 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 St. Mary's University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), 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.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys