On September 27, St. Mary’s College announced its 2025 national rankings in a press release. These rankings were awarded to the university on U.S. News’ 2025 Best Colleges list through an annual survey of approximately 1,500 schools. Universities nationwide.
St. Mary’s is ranked No. 1. In the annual ranking of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges, it ranks 80th, tied with Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Top liberal arts colleges are ranked based on a number of factors, including but not limited to graduation rates, ethnic and economic diversity, undergraduate education, awarding merit aid, and more.
In the Liberal Arts College subfield, our college was ranked #1. It tied for 33rd place with Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota for Top Performer in Social Mobility. This distinction refers to a university’s ability to utilize Pell Grants to enroll and graduate economically disadvantaged students. According to U.S. News, the majority of these federal grants “will be awarded to students with adjusted gross household incomes of less than $50,000.”
St. Mary’s also ranked second. Ranked 43rd in Best Value School honors in the Liberal Arts College subfield. The ranking calculation for this distinction takes into account a college’s academic quality based on the 2025 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings and the net cost of attendance for out-of-state students receiving the required average. Based on financial aid for the 2023-2024 academic year.
According to a press release from the university, president Katie Conboy expressed satisfaction with the rankings presented.
“While rankings are only one measure of a university’s success, our students, faculty and staff are pleased to see Saint Mary’s recognized as a top destination for women seeking a personal, challenging and supportive learning environment. ” said Mr. Optimus. “The Sisters of the Holy Cross arrived here in 1844 with big ideas to give women access to education. We have always been guided by the Sisters’ concept of reading and responding to the signs of the times. “Saint Mary’s University excels at recognizing what the world needs and developing programs and people who can meet those needs.”
