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Colleges of Distinction: Maryland

Mount St. Mary’s University

Emmitsburg, Maryland

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In the Catoctin Mountains near historic Emmitsburg, Mount St. Mary’s offers a quiet residential setting with quick access to the Baltimore–Washington corridor. Students find a Catholic liberal arts university that is personal in scale and practical in focus, with internships, research, and service woven through the undergraduate experience.

Academic options span business, biology and biochemistry, cybersecurity, education, communication, and the arts and humanities. The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes sits on campus and often becomes part of students’ weekly rhythm of reflection, community, and tradition.

Get to know Mount St. Mary’s University

1,873
Degree-Seeking Undergraduates
Enrolled female students
52%
 
Enrolled male students
48%
 
Gender Ratio
Full-time students
92%
 
Part-time students
8%
 
Full-time to Part-time Ratio
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
Retention rate
Full-time faculty
100%
 
Adjuncts
0%
 
Faculty Ratio
12:1
Student/teacher ratio
$45,660
Full-time tuition cost
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
6-year graduation rate
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
Acceptance rate

College Highlights

Engaged Students
Great Teaching
Vibrant Communities
Successful Outcomes
Admission & Aid
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Engaged Students

Learning begins in the classroom and moves quickly into authentic settings. Courses are designed to include internships, research, clinicals and simulations, studio and lab work, and community projects, so students practice skills with real audiences and real accountability. Advising and the Career Center coordinate timing across semesters to help students stack experiences and build a credible portfolio before graduation.

Examples range widely. Cybersecurity students follow a mapped degree plan that advances from systems and networking into incident response. Health-focused undergraduates can start in health science and continue into partner nursing pathways, while the School of Health Professions provides context for those considering graduate clinical training. Entrepreneurially minded students turn to the Palmieri Center for workshops, mentoring, and startup immersion that pairs naturally with business and liberal arts coursework.

ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 5%
Hispanic/Latine: 13%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 19%
White, non-Hispanic: 54%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 3%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 1%

Great Teaching

Faculty teach in small classes that favor discussion, fast feedback, and iterative work. Science labs, simulation suites, and communication studios are used to connect theory with practice, and students are asked to improve work until it stands up to external expectations. The emphasis falls on both understanding and execution.

Mentorship runs alongside coursework. Professors help students scope research questions, refine portfolios, and link assignments to community partners or clients. The Mount’s liberal arts core ties majors to writing, analysis, collaboration, and presentation, which keeps professional skills in circulation while students deepen disciplinary knowledge.

Vibrant Communities

Student life gathers momentum through residence life, faith and service opportunities, music and arts, and a full slate of organizations. The National Shrine Grotto provides a distinctive place for reflection, while the trails and vistas of the Catoctins encourage time outdoors. Nearby Frederick adds internships, arts, and food to the weekly mix.

School spirit is a constant. Mountaineer teams compete in NCAA Division I within the MAAC, and game days bring the campus together. For students who prefer building and leading, the entrepreneurship hub and student clubs offer projects with real responsibility that translate cleanly to internships and interviews.

Successful Outcomes

Career development is continuous rather than episodic. The Career Center provides coaching, résumé and interview support, networking events, and Handshake listings that surface roles across central Maryland. Policies make it straightforward to earn credit for on- or off-campus experiences linked to a student’s major.

Several pathways are especially clear. Cybersecurity is detailed in the academic catalog, pre-health students can follow structured routes into partner nursing programs, and the School of Health Professions offers a view of graduate-level options. Entrepreneurship resources help students convert ideas into tested projects, which adds evidence of leadership and initiative to each graduate’s portfolio. References come from supervisors who have already seen students’ work, and contacts extend from campus into the Baltimore–Washington region.

Admission & Aid

Admission

TEST SCORES
Optional

FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 520 | 75th Percentile: 660
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 510 | 75th Percentile: 620
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 19 | 75th Percentile: 23

Tuition & Cost

Tuition: $45,660
Fees: $1,580
Room: $7,500
Board: $7,250

Contact Mount St. Mary’s University

Contact Admissions

msmary.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions
(301) 447-5214
admissions@msmary.edu

Campus Location

16300 Old Emmitsburg Road
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

(301) 447-6122

Visit Mount St. Mary’s University Online

msmary.edu

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