Saint Mary’s College of California

About Saint Mary’s College of California

Saint Mary’s is an independent college shaped by Catholic, Lasallian, and liberal-arts traditions. Its mission emphasizes student-centered education, intellectual inquiry, access, service, and social justice. The institution began in San Francisco in 1863, later operated in Oakland, and moved to its present Moraga campus in 1928. It now serves both traditional undergraduates and graduate or professional students through campus-based and selected online programs. The academic structure brings undergraduate arts, humanities, sciences, and business together with graduate and professional education. This makes Saint Mary’s potentially suitable for students who want a smaller college environment without limiting themselves to a purely undergraduate liberal-arts curriculum. The current program portfolio includes BA and BS routes, graduate degrees, education credentials, and professional doctorates. Students should confirm the delivery format and campus requirements of an individual graduate program because the institution offers a mixture of on-site and distance education. Institutional status deserves careful attention. WSCUC lists the Moraga location as an active main campus and identifies Saint Mary’s as a nonprofit institution that distributes federal financial aid. It remains accredited, but WSCUC placed it on Warning in its June 26, 2026 action after finding noncompliance with one or more accreditation standards. The College states that accreditation remains in force during the Warning period. Warning is therefore not the same as closure or loss of accreditation, but applicants should read the Commission action materials and monitor subsequent reviews before enrolling.

First-year applicants apply through the Common Application. The current admissions page provides a fee-waiver code and allows an unofficial transcript to be used for review, followed by an official transcript after admission. Saint Mary’s expects successful applicants to have completed at least 16 units of secondary-school coursework, including four years of English, three years of mathematics, two years of the same foreign language, two years of science with at least one laboratory science, and two years of social studies including one year of US history. SAT and ACT scores are optional. The College states that applicants are reviewed holistically and evaluated equally for admission and merit scholarships whether or not they submit scores. Recommendation letters are optional but encouraged. All first-year applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships without a separate scholarship application or essay, according to the current admissions page. The published first-year deadlines are November 1 for fall Early Action, January 15 for fall Regular Decision, and December 1 for spring entry. The page does not label these deadlines with a specific entering year, so applicants seeking 2027 entry should confirm them directly before relying on them. Transfer, international, graduate, nursing, and credential applicants follow distinct processes and should use their respective admissions instructions. International students must also review immigration, financial-certification, and English-language requirements applicable to their program.

Undergraduate education combines study in a major with an integrated core curriculum. A defining element is Collegiate Seminar, a sequence of discussion-centered courses engaging foundational works across literature, philosophy, history, political thought, art, and science. January Term gives undergraduates a concentrated period to study one subject, with offerings that may take place on campus or elsewhere. Students considering travel-based January Term courses should budget separately because travel and materials can create additional costs. The College’s current program listings include undergraduate fields such as accounting, anthropology, art, biochemistry, biology, business, chemistry, communication, computer science, creative writing, dance, data analytics, data science, economics, environmental studies, and nursing. The 2026–2027 catalog is the authoritative source for current curricula and degree requirements. Program availability should be checked there rather than inferred from older lists, particularly because Saint Mary’s has recently introduced and reorganized some offerings. Graduate and professional options extend across business, arts and sciences, and education. Official listings include master’s programs in areas such as accounting, biotechnology, business administration, business analytics, communication, computer science, counseling, creative writing, dance, forensic psychology, and kinesiology. Doctoral-level offerings include an EdD in educational leadership and an executive DBA. Credentials and certificates are also available, but these should not be confused with degree programs. Academic support includes the library, tutoring and academic-skills services, writing support, advising, centers and institutes, study-abroad opportunities, and faculty-supported research or creative work. The exact resources and experiential options available vary by department and program.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit Lasallian Catholic college founded in 1863
• Active degree-granting main campus in Moraga, California
• Offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional-doctorate education
• Accredited by WSCUC and currently Accredited on Warning

Student Life & Environment

Campus life combines residential options, student organizations, recreation, athletics-related activities, and support services. Registered clubs are open to all undergraduates and cover cultural identity, academic and pre-professional interests, recreation and esports, faith, service, media, and other interests. Examples in the current directory include the Black Student Union, Muslim Student Association, PRIDE, Data Science Club, pre-health organizations, Gael Gaming, rock climbing, student radio, and the student newspaper. Because club rosters can change, students should use the current involvement platform when deciding what is active. Housing includes traditional residence halls, suites, and townhouses, with different meal-plan arrangements and prices. For the 2026–2027 cycle, new students used an online housing application and room-selection process. The College also advertises gender-inclusive housing options. Applicants should check whether any residency requirement applies to their entering class; the housing site references a sophomore live-on requirement for the Class of 2030. Student support offices include counseling and psychological services, a health center, disability services, an Intercultural Center, a Center for Women and Gender Equity, campus safety and transportation, and career services. Campus Recreation offers fitness activities, intramural competition, club sports, and outings. The Lasallian Catholic identity is visible in campus traditions and ministry, while official policy describes a community intended to support students from varied backgrounds and beliefs.

Location & Surroundings

Saint Mary’s occupies its main campus at 1928 St. Mary’s Road in Moraga, California. Moraga is a suburban East Bay community in Contra Costa County, separated from the denser inner Bay Area by hills. The setting may appeal to students who prefer a quieter residential environment while retaining access to the wider San Francisco Bay Area. Location should be evaluated practically as well as aesthetically. Moraga is not in central San Francisco, Oakland, or Berkeley, and trips to major employment, cultural, or transportation centers require planning. Students without cars should examine the College’s current transportation information and regional transit connections before committing, especially if they expect regular off-campus work or internships. Those bringing vehicles should review campus parking and permit rules. The broader Bay Area can expand access to organizations in technology, business, education, healthcare, science, arts, and public service. That advantage is most useful when a student’s schedule and transportation arrangements make off-campus participation realistic. Campus visits are advisable for assessing travel time, the residential atmosphere, and the distance between housing, classrooms, and local services.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, standard full-time undergraduate tuition for non-BSN students is $61,416 for fall and spring. The published on-campus cost-of-attendance budget is $87,612, including $18,900 for food and housing, $636 in listed annual student fees, and allowances for books, personal expenses, and transportation. This is a planning budget rather than every student’s final bill. The BSN uses a separate three-term tuition structure: published tuition is $76,770 and its on-campus cost-of-attendance estimate is $102,330. Housing prices vary by room and building. The listed 2026–2027 annual rates range from $14,500 for certain lower-townhouse doubles with a 75-block meal plan to $21,300 for specified renovated suite singles or deluxe suite singles. Full-time undergraduates must have health insurance. The College plan costs $2,406 for 2026–2027; eligible domestic students may waive it with proof of coverage, while it is mandatory for international students and US citizens whose primary residence is abroad. Graduate tuition varies substantially by school and program. Prospective students should compare the published price with their individual aid offer and calculate net cost across the expected time to degree. First-year applicants receive automatic merit-scholarship consideration, while need-based aid requires the relevant financial-aid process. No unsupported salary or placement figure should be assumed. The Career Center offers appointments through Handshake, internship and job-search resources, career planning, résumé and interview assistance, workshops, employer-facing events, and support for students, recent graduates, and alumni.