Private Nonprofit · Moraga, California

Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary's College of California is a private nonprofit institution in Moraga, California. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$78,812
10-yr median earnings
86.5%
Acceptance rate
$30,378
Avg net price / yr
69.6%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Saint Mary's College of California pairs top-5% former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 4%
former-student earnings, US
86.5%
acceptance rate
69.6%
150%-time completion
+31%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Suburb: Large Carnegie: Master's (L)
View my saved schools

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Saint Mary's College of California profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C+
College Value Score
61/100
Saint Mary's College of California

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings A+
$78,812
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$30,378
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B
69.6%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,691
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A+
84.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention B+
85.4%
First-year students returning for year two
Saint Mary's College of California vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$78,812

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$30,378

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

69.6%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 69.6%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Saint Mary's College of California vs peers

Saint Mary's College of California positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Saint Mary's College of California positione… Carnegie Classification: Master's (L) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $38K $97K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $12K $51K Avg Net Price ($) Saint Mary's College of California (you are here): $79K earn · $30K net · 70% grad You are here - Saint Mary's Colle… Vanguard University of Southern California: $60K earn · $21K net · 56% grad Vanguard Universit… Art Center College of Design: $72K earn · $49K net · 81% grad Art Center College… Occidental College: $76K earn · $38K net · 83% grad Occidental College University of Redlands: $73K earn · $30K net · 69% grad University of Redl… Mount Saint Mary's University: $72K earn · $21K net · 53% grad Mount Saint Mary's… Merritt College: $44K earn · $14K net · 23% grad Northeastern University Oakland: $93K earn · $25K net Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Saint Mary's College of California ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Saint Mary's College of California: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$78,812 Top 4% higher than 96% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Saint Mary's College of California National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $78,812 #208 of 5103 96th
Average net price $30,378 #4514 of 5020 10th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 69.6% #1441 of 4858 70th
Undergraduate enrollment 1,947 #1500 of 5462 73rd

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

1,947
Undergraduate enrollment
86.5%
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
69.6%
150%-time completion
$78,812
10-yr median earnings
85.4%
First-year retention

How Saint Mary's College of California ranks in California

State rank among 493 reporting California colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Saint Mary's College of California State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $78,812 #43 of 493 91st
Average net price $30,378 #398 of 495 20th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 69.6% #181 of 483 63rd
Undergraduate enrollment 1,947 #180 of 553 67th

Highest former-student earnings in California

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Samuel Merritt University$143,238-
2Harvey Mudd College$138,687$35,924
3California Institute of Technology$128,566$16,075
4Stanford University$124,080$13,807
5Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health$115,318-
6Gnomon$114,785$51,949
7Santa Clara University$109,183$50,062
8Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University$109,183-
9Touro University California$104,805-
10Claremont McKenna College$104,736$28,849
11West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County$102,672$32,879
12West Coast University-Ontario$102,672$49,590
43Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaThis school$78,812$30,378

Admissions

Admission Rate 86.5%
0%100%86.5%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Saint Mary's College of California

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Saint Mary's College of California - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $57,803
Out-of-State Tuition $57,803
Average Net Price $30,378
26.7%
Pell Grant Rate
41.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,691
Median Debt
$251/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at Saint Mary's College of California swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $22,620 to $37,232 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -7.9%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.

Lowest year
$22,620
Highest year
$37,232
Most recent (2023)
$31,198
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $33,8762014: $32,6052015: $32,7212016: $33,3252017: $33,5702018: $35,6222019: $34,3922020: $37,2322021: $22,6202022: $29,7572023: $31,198
2013 · $33,8762023 · $31,198

Over the same years, enrollment went -33.4% (3,039 → 2,024 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

63.0%
Female
25.5%
First Generation

Outcomes

85.4%
Retention Rate
$60,388
Median Earnings (6yr)
74.1%
Earning Over $25K
84.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 69.6%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 85.4%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $60,388
Median earnings 10 years after entry $78,812
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 74.1%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 84.3%
Median federal student debt At completion $23,691
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $251/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 16 549 $72,185 $107,570 $24,026
Master's 11 376 $101,680 $161,500 $46,023

Top programs at Saint Mary's College of California by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 201 $161,500 $50,940
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Master's 15 $108,918 -
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 19 $107,570 $25,000
Accounting and Related Services Master's 30 $107,437 $41,000
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 7 $90,166 -
Dance Master's 8 $89,283 $41,000
Student Counseling and Personnel Services Master's 40 $81,166 $66,300
Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's 148 $80,262 $23,250
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 20 $73,293 $41,667
Psychology, General Bachelor's 40 $70,123 $25,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's 64 $68,501 $27,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 37 $66,265 $21,625
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 36 $64,456 $19,500
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 25 $62,651 $25,000
English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's 27 $57,651 $23,250

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Saint Mary's College of California?
Saint Mary's College of California is a private nonprofit institution in Moraga, California. The acceptance rate is 86.5%. Undergraduate enrollment is 1,947 students.
How much do Saint Mary's College of California former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Saint Mary's College of California who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $78,812 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $60,388.
How much does Saint Mary's College of California cost?
The average net price at Saint Mary's College of California is $30,378. In-state tuition is $57,803 and out-of-state tuition is $57,803. Median student debt at graduation is $23,691.
What is the graduation rate at Saint Mary's College of California?
Saint Mary's College of California has a 69.6% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 85.4%.
Is Saint Mary's College of California worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Saint Mary's College of California is $23,691, while former students earn a median of $78,812 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 30% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 84.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $251.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Saint Mary's College of California

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.