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St. Mary's College of Maryland

#1 in Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maryland
  • B+
    Overall Grade
  • 4 Year
  • St. Mary's City, MD
  • 626 reviews
    Apply NowVirtual Tour

    COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:

    Due to COVID-19, guidelines have been established to help keep our community and each other safe. Sessions and tours will be limited to only one or two families at a time and will be scheduled by appointment only. We look forward to hosting students enrolling at later dates when we are allowed to have larger groups. Learn More

    B+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?Data Sources
    1. Academics
      B+
    2. Value
      A
    3. Diversity
      B
    4. Campus
      B+
    5. Athletics
      C+
    6. Party Scene
      B
    7. Professors
      A-
    8. Location
      C-
    9. Dorms
      B-
    10. Campus Food
      A
    11. Student Life
      B
    12. Safety
      B-
    smcm.edu
    47465 College Drive
    St. Mary's City, MD 20686
    Learn More
    About St. Mary's - Maryland...
    Athletic Division
    NCAA Division III (without football)
    Athletic Conference
    Capital Athletic Conference
    From St. Mary's College of Maryland

    As Maryland’s public honors college, St. Mary’s offers an undergraduate liberal arts education and small-college experience like those found at exceptional private colleges. St. Mary’s shares the hallmarks of private institutions: an outstanding faculty, talented students, high academic standards, a challenging curriculum, small classes, a sense of community, and a spirit of intellectual inquiry. But as a state institution of higher education, St. Mary’s is also committed to the ideals of affordability, accessibility, and diversity. By combining these virtues of public and private education, St. Mary’s provides a unique alternative for students and their families.

    St. Mary’s is named for the place it marks: the 17th-century capital of Maryland. The spectacular waterfront setting is in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region. The campus is 75 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. and 97 miles south of Baltimore.

    Campus Life
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    St. Mary's College of Maryland Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
    See All St. Mary's College of Maryland Rankings

    Admissions

    Application Deadline
    January 15
    Acceptance Rate
    80%
    SAT Range
    1060-1290
    ACT Range
    21-29
    Application Fee
    $50
    SAT/ACT
    Considered but not required
    High School GPA
    Required
    Accepts Common App
    Yes
    Read More About Admissions
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    Cost

    Net Price
    $20,996/ year
    National
    $15,523
    Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
    Average Total Aid Awarded
    $9,453/ year
    National
    $7,535
    Students Receiving Financial Aid
    95%
    Find Private Student Loans
    Explore Tuition & Cost Breakdown
    Find College Scholarships 

    Academics

    Professors
    A-
    Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
    Student Faculty Ratio
    9:1
    Evening Degree Programs
    No
    76%
    of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.34 responses
    49%
    of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.43 responses
    49%
    of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.43 responses
    Read More About Academics

    Majors

    Most Popular Majors
    • Psychology
      52 Graduates
    • Biology
      42 Graduates
    • Political Science and Government
      37 Graduates
    • Economics
      32 Graduates
    • Information Science
      31 Graduates
    • English
      30 Graduates
    • Environmental Science
      28 Graduates
    • History
      21 Graduates
    • Mathematics
      21 Graduates
    • Anthropology
      20 Graduates
    See All Majors

    Students

    Full-Time Enrollment
    1,503Undergrads
    Part-Time Undergrads
    49
    Undergrads Over 25
    2%
    Pell Grant
    17%
    Varsity Athletes
    26%
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
    Based on 34 responses
    • Quirky
      35%
    • Relaxed
      15%
    • Arrogant and uptight.
      12%
    • Friendly
      9%
    • Weird
      9%
    • Unique
      6%
    • Diverse
      3%
    Read More About the Students

    Campus Life

    Freshmen Live On-Campus
    —
    Take a Virtual Tour
    Poll
    95%
    of students say they don't have Greek life.43 responses
    Poll
    62%
    of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.66 responses
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes your school?
    Based on 27 responses
    • A huge disappointment.
      30%
    • Amazing
      22%
    • Weird
      19%
    • Community
      7%
    • Surpassed expectations
      7%
    • Communal
      4%
    • Home away from home
      4%
    Read More About Campus Life

      After College

      Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
      $52,200/ year
      National
      $33,028
      Graduation Rate
      77%
      National
      49%
      Employed 2 Years After Graduation
      93%
      National
      83%
      73%
      of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.22 responses
      Read More About Life After Graduation

      St. Mary's College of Maryland Reviews

      626 reviews
      All Categories
      I'm attending SMCM during the COVID pandemic, and while other schools are shutting down because their students don't take it seriously, ours is still opened and all students wear masks. This says a lot about our administration and community as a whole - we're dedicated to each other's safety and wellbeing. You can vibe with pretty much anyone - very low stress environment, and all the professors I've had are knowledgeable and understanding. I'm excited for the next 4 years!
      Start Your Review of St. Mary's College of Maryland
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      The best school for academics! Small classes allow me to work closely with my professors. Plus, all the faculty are extremely skilled in their fields and are more than willing to share their knowledge with students. They are attentive and encouraging. The arts programs are also fantastic, especially music and theater. And because the school is small, there are more opportunities to participate in various arts productions. The only downfalls would be the cost and the location. St. Mary's is more expensive than other public Maryland schools, and although the St. Mary's River is beautiful - there is really nothing to do in this rural spot.
      I absolutely loved the campus tour when i visited during my college search. I was eager to see all of the different possibilities at a public honors college. The people who greeted me were fantastic and welcoming. I had a great experience while visiting, and now it is one of my top schools. There is one thing that i think could be better, i know you cannot really change this, but the all girls dorm is kind of a long walk away. But, that is my only complaint!
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