Campus & Student Life at Saint Mary’s College of California

Home to about 2,468 undergraduates in 2020, SMC is a small, private college located in Moraga, California. A safe, suburban environment can offer many of the amenities of city living without the constant hum. Should you tire of the campus however, SMC offers a “study abroad” program.

Saint Mary's College of California is Affiliated With the Roman Catholic Faith.

Some, but not all, schools with a religious affiliation may require a statement of faith or religious studies component. Contact the school to see what their requirements are. If an affinity with the Roman Catholic faith interests you, check out our ranking of The Best Roman Catholic Colleges and Universities.

SMC Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 13.0% of the student population at SMC. For more information on policies and accommodations that the college provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit SMC Disability Services.

SMC for the Military

While not a "service academy", SMC does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit SMC Veteran Services . For more information, check out our SMC for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Saint Mary's College of California

SMC offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Saint Mary's College of California

SMC has a comparatively small, student body. There were 2,468 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 2,308 (93.5%). Part-time attendance was 160 (6.5%).

Saint Mary's College of California is Ranked #545 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, SMC receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank SMC #545 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at SMC by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the SMC Diversity Guide.

Saint Mary's College of California Competes in the NCAA

SMC has a total of 302 student athletes, 123 men and 179 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Saint Mary's College of California Athletics