About

About Saint Mary's College of California

lasallian catholic missionsmall class sizeswest coast liberal artshigh acceptance ratebusiness and premed focus

Saint Mary's College of California is a private university in Moraga, CA, known for its lasallian catholic mission, small class sizes, and west coast liberal arts. With an acceptance rate of 88%, SMC is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 445 students each year. SMC is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. SMC offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $41,511 per year; the sticker price of $71,268 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Saint Mary's College of California acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

88%
Overall Accept Rate
3.50
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 3.25 – 3.75 unweighted

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Saint Mary's College of California

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Saint Mary's is rooted in the Lasallian Catholic tradition, which emphasizes community, service, and education for the whole person, so reference specific programs like the Integral Program or your interest in service learning to show you understand and connect with that mission.
Test Score Strategy
Since Saint Mary's is test optional and your score falls below their 75th percentile, you are better off not submitting it and letting your GPA, activities, and essays carry your application.

Get a tailored strategy for Saint Mary's College of California. Build your free list to unlock personalized advice on submitting test scores and discover your actual admission odds based on your student profile.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Saint Mary's College of California actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$71k/yr$19.5k
30k-48k~$71k/yr$20.1k
48k-75k~$71k/yr$23.3k
75k-110k~$71k/yr$29.0k
110k+~$71k/yr$40.6k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

69%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$60k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
9:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
2,301
Undergrad Enrollment
Saint Mary's College of California Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch