Maria College of Albany

Key Highlights

• Founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1958
• Private, nonprofit, independent Catholic college
• Institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Operating main campus at 700 New Scotland Avenue in Albany

Student Life & Environment

Maria is primarily a commuter college, so student life is likely to feel different from that of a residential university. The college’s support structure is centered in the Frank E. O’Brien Jr. Student Success Center. Officially listed resources include academic success coaching, accessibility services, tutoring and writing assistance, counseling, international-student support, veteran and military support, pastoral care, and career services. These services may be especially useful for students returning to education or combining study with work. Maria does not describe traditional college-owned residence halls. Students seeking nearby accommodation can apply separately to University Heights College Suites, an independently operated complex within one mile of campus that houses students from colleges along New Scotland Avenue. Its furnished apartment-style units include kitchens, and the complex advertises security, fitness, media, and laundry facilities. Availability and pricing are controlled by the housing provider, and Maria warns that demand can produce a waiting list. The Catholic and Mercy heritage informs pastoral support and campus celebrations, but the college enrolls a coeducational student body and publishes nondiscrimination commitments. Prospective students should expect a compact, support-oriented environment in which campus engagement coexists with commuting, clinical placements, employment, and other off-campus responsibilities.

Location & Surroundings

Maria College’s main campus is at 700 New Scotland Avenue in a residential part of Albany, near the city’s healthcare and higher-education corridor. The setting offers access to New York’s Capital Region rather than a self-contained residential campus. Albany is the state capital, and the wider metropolitan area includes Troy, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga County communities. The campus is designed to accommodate commuters. Capital District Transportation Authority buses stop in front of the college, and Maria states that currently enrolled students can use more than 60 participating routes without an additional fare by swiping a valid student identification card. Drivers can obtain an annual campus parking pass, although the college cautions that the main lot can fill at busy times; designated overflow parking is available nearby. Students considering nearby accommodation should distinguish the college campus from University Heights College Suites. That apartment complex is within a mile but is independently operated. Its location can provide a short trip to class, while students living elsewhere should compare bus routes, parking availability, and travel to clinical or fieldwork sites before enrolling.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, Maria’s official tuition page lists full-time undergraduate tuition of $9,785 per semester for 12–18 credits, plus a $400 technology and services fee per semester. The published fall-and-spring total is $20,370 before program-specific fees, books, housing, transportation, and personal expenses. Part-time undergraduate tuition is $825 per credit plus a $215 semester fee. The online RN-to-BS program has a separate $450-per-credit rate and a $390 semester fee. Graduate tuition for both Occupational Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling is listed at $1,200 per credit, with a $1,100 technology and services fee each semester. Nursing, laboratory, clinical, occupational-therapy, and allied-health charges can add materially to the bill. The college’s cost-of-attendance estimates include indirect expenses, but it explicitly distinguishes those planning allowances from amounts billed by Maria. Students should request a personalized aid offer and check the 2026–2027 scholarship application; published opportunities have separate eligibility rules and should not be assumed to cover every program or expense. Career Services provides résumé and cover-letter assistance, career counseling, interview preparation, employer networking, and a job board with Capital Region openings. The academic portfolio is closely aligned with licensed or regulated professions, but earning a degree does not itself guarantee licensure or employment. Candidates should review professional accreditation, examination eligibility, clinical-placement obligations, and state licensing rules for their intended occupation before committing.