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Students cheering at Saint Mary's College of California
Facts, Figures & Rankings

Saint Mary’s is Known for Transforming Lives.

But don’t take our word for it. Saint Mary’s consistently rates high in awards of distinction from U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, Money Magazine, and others.
 


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Saint Mary's College Rankings Top 2

U.S. News & World Report

Among Peers in the West: Student-to-Faculty Ratio,
 2023 

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Top 4

U.S. News & World Report

Western Regional Universities: Best Colleges, 2023

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Top 6%

Payscale.com

In the U.S. for Earning Potential, 2021–22

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Saint Mary's College Rankings

Washington Monthly

Among Master’s Universities in the U.S., 2023

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Top 26

U.S. News & World Report

Best Value Schools, 2023 

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Colleges that Change Lives

CTCL.org

2022

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Featured Green Colleges

The Princeton Review

Guide to 353 Green Colleges, 2023

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Saint Mary's College Rankings Best Colleges

Money Magazine

2023


 

  

 

Location & History

Founded in 1863, Saint Mary's has been on a mission to make a quality education accessible to all.

Campus Locations
Moraga, California | Silicon Valley

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Saint Mary's College Aerial view

LaSallian Tradition and Heritage

“Top Lasallian master’s university in the country” —Washington Monthly, 2023

 

As a Lasallian institution, Saint Mary’s is devoted to high-quality, transformative, equitable, and inclusive education.

Saint Mary’s is a leader in a global Lasallian network—of 65 universities through the International Association of La Salle Universities (IALU) and over 1,000 educational centers for students of all ages— that spans 80 countries. Our students and faculty often engage in worldwide collaborations and experiences.

Since the College was founded in 1863, Saint Mary’s has been touching hearts, inspiring minds, and transforming lives. Together, we carry on a 340 year tradition of dialogue-driven, student-centered teaching and scholarship, learning, and development.

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International Association of La Salle Universities World Map

A Commitment to Changing Lives

Saint Mary's College Hispanic Serving Institute

Hispanic Serving Institution

Since 2015, Saint Mary's has earned the distinction of being a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), with more than 25% of SMC students of Latinx or Hispanic descent. 

Saint Mary's College Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution

As a designated Asian American Native American Pacific Islander–Serving Institution (AANAPISI), Saint Mary’s is helping to empower generations of underserved students.  

Saint Mary's College Colleges that Change Lives

Colleges That Change Lives Institution

Saint Mary's College of California is the only Catholic college and the only California college in the history of the prestigious college guide.

Academic Grants & Funding

The teaching scholars at Saint Mary’s engage in research, developing curriculum, and teaching innovations that are a hallmark of a Saint Mary’s education. More than that, Saint Mary’s educators shape work that is helping transform educational opportunities more broadly. Their work draws recognition and support from leading educational funders—from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities to the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing. Scholars from every school at SMC have been awarded Fulbright fellowships in recent years, building global connections and earning Saint Mary’s recognition from the US State Department as a Top Producing Fulbright Institution and a Fulbright Hispanic-Serving Institution Leader.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Saint Mary’s a 5-year, $1.2 million Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track 1 grant from 2023-2028. Under the leadership of Mary Raygoza (Teacher Education), Vidya Chandrasekaran (Biology), and Aaron Lee (Physics & Astronomy), the collaborative effort between the Kalmanovitz School of Education and the School of Science strives to prepare socially and culturally responsive K–12 STEM teachers. 

Anastasia Chavez (Mathematics & Computer Science) received a two-year NSF PRIMES (Partnerships for Research Innovation in the Mathematical Sciences) grant through a program meant to support faculty at minority-serving institutions in research conducted with NSF-funded mathematics institutes. The grant is supporting Dr. Chavez for a year of academic leave to conduct research at UCLA’s Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics, then return to SMC for teaching and additional research.

Saint Mary’s is one of three California Catholic Universities to receive a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to lead a three-year initiative to support the creation and use of open educational resources (OER). OERs are teaching and learning materials across multiple disciplines that are free of cost and access barriers. 

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing awarded the Kalmanovitz School of Education a two-year grant for the “Saint Mary’s College Teachers for Tomorrow Expansion Project” from 2023-2025 under the leadership of Monica Fitzgerald. The award was made through the Integrated Teacher Preparation Program Implementation and Expansion Grant program. 

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Saint Mary's College student athletes playing basketball and baseball


 

Division I Athletics

The Gaels boast 25 combined WCC championships. The men’s basketball program is California's winningest team since 2007, securing 3 of the last 6 WCC titles. In 2024, Gaels Men's Basketball Student-Athletes secured numerous WCC Awards, including WCC Players of the Year, WCC Defensive Player of the Year, and WCC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Additionally, the College consistently ranks among the leaders in the WCC Commissioner’s Cup for excellence in all sports, securing second and third-place finishes in recent years. 
 

36

NCAA Tournament Appearances   
 

18 

NCAA D1 Championship Sports   
 

325 

Student-Athletes in the WCC

Club Sports

Whether you are a student who enjoys the excitement of learning something new, or you are a top-tier athlete who strives to remain competitive while at Saint Mary's, the Club Sports program offers a great place to connect. From repeat national champion Men’s Rugby to Women’s Lacrosse and co-ed tennis, teamwork is a big part of the Gael community.

15

Active Club Sports
 

375 

Club Sport Athletes
 

16

Rugby USA National Team Players since 1971
 

USA Rugby Hall of Fame Inductees

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Saint mary's college students playing lacross, baseball, and rugby.

 

College Facts & Figures

2,765
Total
Enrollment
54,620
Living Alumni
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
4
Schools

Student Population

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2,003
Undergraduate Students 762 Graduate Students

Student Ethnicity

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Black or African American: 7% American Indian or Alaska Native: 1% Asian: 14% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2% Hispanic/Latino: 27% White, non-Hispanic: 37%

Undergraduate Student Population

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Chart showing First Generation: 543 First-Year: 445 Transfer: 130 International: 76

Student Gender

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Female: 59% Male: 41%