Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1599
About Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's University is a private research university in Los Angeles, California, enrolling about 1,719 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 73.13% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $72,379 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Mount Saint Mary's University charges 69% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($49,564).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 6.1×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 53.25%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $72,379.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Mount Saint Mary's University is about 57% below published tuition.
Published tuition is $49,564; average net price is $21,413 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Mount Saint Mary's University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 745% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Saint Mary's University | $49,564 | $21,413 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 57% below published tuition at Mount Saint Mary's University
Key findings
- Mount Saint Mary's University's average net price ($21,413) is 57% below published tuition ($49,564).
- Mount Saint Mary's University charges 69% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($49,564).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 6.1×.
Mount Saint Mary's University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $49,564
Finding Mount Saint Mary's University charges 69% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $49,564. That is 69% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is about 6.1×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 4.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Mount Saint Mary's University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Mount Saint Mary's University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Mount Saint Mary's University is $21,413.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $21,413 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $13,070 above the California median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $1,360 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Mount Saint Mary's University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 57% lower after grants and scholarships.
Mount Saint Mary's University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Mount Saint Mary's University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
Completion, earnings, and net price together describe a campus where sticker price overstates typical undergraduate cost while outcomes remain at the high end of Scorecard distributions.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$49,564
Avg. net price
$21,413
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $23,849 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,718 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $17,876 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $30,247 |
| $110,001+ | $18,762 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $198,256. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Mount Saint Mary's University is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse223
- Counseling Psychology143
- Psychology, General43
- Physical Therapy/Therapist31
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production28
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 19% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Mount Saint Mary's University is a good school for those looking for strong completion and solid mid-career earnings—especially where average net price sits well below published tuition (about 57% lower in this extract).
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Mount Saint Mary's University.
Campus
Location
Los Angeles, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 90049-1599
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 7% above the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
1,719
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,985
- Graduate
- 581
- Full-time share
- 94%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,949
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 57.10%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Mount Saint Mary's University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Mount Saint Mary's University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Mount Saint Mary's University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $33,852 | $33,852 | $26,170 |
| 2014 | $34,826 | $34,826 | $26,701 |
| 2015 | $35,944 | $35,944 | $27,949 |
| 2016 | $37,722 | $37,722 | $28,527 |
| 2017 | $39,608 | $39,608 | $28,274 |
| 2018 | $41,170 | $41,170 | $29,267 |
| 2019 | $42,792 | $42,792 | $29,214 |
| 2020 | $44,474 | $44,474 | $30,938 |
| 2021 | $45,388 | $45,388 | $35,184 |
| 2022 | $46,740 | $46,740 | $30,426 |
| 2023 | $48,132 | $48,132 | $25,009 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Mount Saint Mary's University reported total enrollment of about 1,719 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 8% male and 92% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (57.5%), Asian (18.0%), and White (8.0%). About 57.10% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 49.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Mount Saint Mary's University in 2024 is 1,719 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,985 students. Graduate enrollment is about 581 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
71.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
32.95% 100% Completion Time
53.25% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 32.95% of students graduating from Mount Saint Mary's University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 11% male / 89% female
- Counseling Psychology: 8% male / 92% female
- Psychology, General: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Mount Saint Mary's University graduates earn a median of $72,379 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Mount Saint Mary's University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $72,379. Median federal loan debt: $25,949. Average net price used in cost models: $21,413.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Mount Saint Mary's University graduates report median earnings of $72,379 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Mount Saint Mary's University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (45 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Mount Saint Mary's University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Mount Saint Mary's University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Mount Saint Mary's University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$160.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- California median 8.1× the median ($19.7M)
- Far West median 9.5× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 6.1× the median ($26.4M)
- California median 8.5× the median ($7,407)
- Far West median 8.7× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 5.2× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 29.5%
- California median 9.8 pp below median (39.3%)
- Far West median 16.1 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 28.4 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,605
- California median 0.94× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median near the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $13,438
- California median 2.1× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 1.9× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Mount Saint Mary's University at a glance
Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's University is a private non-profit institution in Los Angeles, CA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseCounseling PsychologyPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino57.5%Asian18.0%White or Caucasian8.0%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Mount Saint Mary's University
Other campuses in Los Angeles, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mount Saint Mary's University located?
Mount Saint Mary's University is located in Los Angeles, CA.
What is Mount Saint Mary's University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Mount Saint Mary's University is 73.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 3,430 applicants and 2,357 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Mount Saint Mary's University's tuition?
Mount Saint Mary's University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $49,564 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $21,413 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Mount Saint Mary's University cost?
Reported tuition is $49,564 and average net price is $21,413 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $15,518 annually.
Why is Mount Saint Mary's University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Mount Saint Mary's University, published tuition is $49,564 while average net price is $21,413—about 57% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Mount Saint Mary's University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($21,413), completion (53.2% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($72,379). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Mount Saint Mary's University?
Mount Saint Mary's University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,985 students, Hispanic or Latino (57.5%), Asian (18.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Mount Saint Mary's University?
About 49.7% of students at Mount Saint Mary's University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Mount Saint Mary's University earn?
Median earnings are $61,335 six years after entry and $72,379 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Mount Saint Mary's University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 53.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Mount Saint Mary's University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,949.
Is Mount Saint Mary's University public or private?
Mount Saint Mary's University is a private nonprofit institution located in Los Angeles, CA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.