Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
San Antonio, Texas
89% Acceptance Rate
St. Mary's University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
89%Acceptance Rate
3.61Avg GPA
989Avg SAT
20Avg ACT
$46,368Annual Cost
$56,955Grad Salary
42%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
89%
Avg GPA
3.61
Avg SAT
989
Avg ACT
20
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
980–1150
ACT Middle 50%
16–23
Need-Based Aid
42% receive Pell
St. Mary's University is a private, Catholic, Marianist institution in Texas known for its commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and leadership preparation. Admissions are holistic, evaluating a student's potential to contribute to the university's community and their readiness for a rigorous academic environment. The university looks for individuals who show high potential for professional success and who are motivated by a sense of service to others.
Prospective students should emphasize their history of involvement in school or community leadership, as this reflects the university's core focus. Highlighting an interest in ethical inquiry and demonstrating how the university's values align with one's personal and professional goals will make an application stand out. The admissions team appreciates evidence of intellectual engagement and maturity, as these indicate a readiness for the student-centered and values-based academic life at St. Mary's.
St. Mary's University Acceptance Rate
St. Mary's University runs an open-access admission policy. With a 89% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 89% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.61 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.41 – 3.60
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.16
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
St. Mary's University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
St. Mary's University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
St. Mary's University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (February 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
St. Mary's University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at St. Mary's University is 3.61. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.31 and 3.61? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.81–4.01.St. Mary's University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.61 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.41 – 3.60
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.21 – 3.40
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.20
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- General first-year admission requires no application fee, no personal essay, and no letter of recommendation; it's test-optional and rolling, with Dec. 15 as the priority date for admission and general merit scholarships.
- Undergraduates with a 3.20+ cumulative GPA qualify for Guaranteed Admission to St. Mary's own graduate School of Law programs (M.Jur. and others) without a separate competitive review.
- St. Mary's School of Law, founded 1927, is the only Catholic law school in Texas and is on the same campus as the undergraduate college.
- St. Mary's is a Hispanic-Serving Institution with ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering programs.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at St. Mary's University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on St. Mary's University's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
St. Mary's University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if St. Mary's University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into St. Mary's University Without SAT or ACT?
St. Mary's University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
St. Mary's University Average SAT Score: 989
The average SAT score of admitted students at St. Mary's University is 989 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 989 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1150 SAT or 23 ACT) to stand out. Below average? St. Mary's University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 980, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at St. Mary's University. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 520 | 480 | 560 |
| SAT Reading | 545 | 500 | 590 |
| SAT Composite | 989 | 980 | 1150 |
Below 980, you're behind most admitted students; at 1150 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1000
Can I get into St. Mary's University with a 1150 SAT?
A 1150 SAT puts you ahead of most of St. Mary's University's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
St. Mary's University ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at St. Mary's University is 20.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 20 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 23 | 20 | 26 |
| ACT Composite | 20 | 16 | 23 |
Can I get into St. Mary's University with a 23 ACT?
A 23 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of St. Mary's University's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at St. Mary's University.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for St. Mary's University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
St. Mary's University takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Aim for a 3.20 GPA to lock in Guaranteed Admission to St. Mary's own law school
Because St. Mary's operates its own ABA-accredited law school on the same campus (the only Catholic law school in Texas), undergraduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or above can secure Guaranteed Admission to the Master of Jurisprudence or other graduate programs in the School of Law - a real, stated GPA threshold, not a vague "competitive applicants" statement. If law school is even a possibility, treat 3.20 as a concrete target throughout your undergraduate years, not an afterthought at application time.
Use the on-campus Pre-Law Program instead of building your own law school prep from scratch
St. Mary's runs a dedicated Pre-Law Program offering advising, workshops, and LSAT prep specifically for its own undergraduates across any major - you don't need to be a political science or legal studies major to use it. Engage with this program starting freshman year rather than waiting until junior year to think about law school, since the guaranteed-admission GPA threshold is cumulative from day one.
Hit the October 31 Specialty Scholarship deadline even though general admission is rolling
St. Mary's general admission is rolling with no application fee and no required essay or letters of recommendation for first-year applicants - but Specialty Scholarships have a preferred October 31 deadline, well ahead of the December 15 priority date for general admission and merit scholarships. If cost is a major factor, don't let the relaxed general admission timeline lull you into missing the earlier, separate scholarship deadline.
Leverage St. Mary's Hispanic-Serving Institution status and ABET-accredited engineering programs together if relevant
St. Mary's is both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and home to ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering programs (Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, Software, and more) - a combination relevant for students seeking HSI-specific scholarships, grants, or pipeline programs tied to underrepresented students in engineering. Ask financial aid specifically about HSI-designated funding sources when engineering is your intended major, since these aren't always surfaced in general scholarship searches.
Expert Insight:
Because St. Mary's has no personal essay or letter of recommendation requirement and open or near-open enrollment for general admission, applicants sometimes treat the entire St. Mary's relationship as low-stakes and miss that the university's most distinctive advantage - guaranteed admission to its own law school at a 3.20 GPA - requires sustained performance across all four undergraduate years, not just a strong application at the front end.
St. Mary's University Profile
Full Name
St. Mary's University
City
San Antonio
State
Texas
ZIP Code
78228
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a St. Mary's University Degree Worth It?
Whether St. Mary's University is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $56,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.89%.
How much does a degree from St. Mary's University Cost?
The sticker price is $46,368/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
42% of students receive a Pell Grant and 52.2% take federal loans at St. Mary's University. File your FAFSA early and list St. Mary's University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a St. Mary's University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $56,955. That's about 40% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than St. Mary's University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal, AL | 947 | 17 |
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL | 977 | 18 |
| Johnson University Florida | Kissimmee, FL | 940 | NA |
| Clayton State University | Morrow, GA | 973 | 18 |
| Gordon State College | Barnesville, GA | 950 | 18 |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | Kapolei, HI | 973 | 18 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary of the Woods, IN | 966 | 17 |
| Baker University | Baldwin City, KS | 950 | 17 |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville, KY | 965 | 18 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, KY | 977 | 18 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as St. Mary's University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Health College Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 980 | 20 |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 985 | NA |
| Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 984 | 24 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton, GA | 994 | 19 |
| Columbus State University | Columbus, GA | 994 | 21 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than St. Mary's University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
Degree Programs at St. Mary's University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About St. Mary's University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at St. Mary's University run about $56,955 a year.
St. Mary's University costs roughly $46,368 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 42.0% receive a Pell Grant at St. Mary's University. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 89%, St. Mary's University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at St. Mary's University average a 3.61 GPA.
St. Mary's University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.31 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.21, St. Mary's University becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at St. Mary's University — aim above 989, ideally within the 980–1150 range admitted students typically fall in.
St. Mary's University follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is February 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.