View honors and rankings for St. Mary’s University and the St. Mary’s School of Law.
St. Mary’s University Honors and Rankings
U.S. News & World Report
The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal, as U.S. News & World Report has said.
St. Mary’s ranking in the 2025 Best Colleges also tied for the No. 17 spot out of 118 universities in the West for academic quality. The University has been included in the list of top-tier regional universities for 31 consecutive years.
U.S. News introduced a ranking for Top Performers on Social Mobility in 2019 to evaluate which schools best serve underrepresented students. This measurement evaluates how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households with family incomes of less than $50,000 annually, according to the methodology.
St. Mary’s tied for No. 9 in the West. St. Mary’s also ranked first in San Antonio in this analysis for the sixth year in a row.
The St. Mary’s University School of Law Advocacy Programs continues to rank in the top 20 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report — moving up to tie for the No. 16 spot in the 2025 Best Graduate School Rankings. U.S. News and World Report named the St. Mary’s University School of Law to its short list of racially and ethnically diverse law schools.
U.S. News also ranked the University’s undergraduate Engineering programs. View the St. Mary’s profile.
Colleges of Distinction
Colleges of Distinction was created in 2000 to help students and their parents navigate the overwhelming process of selecting the right school. Colleges of Distinction recognize schools that deliver on four overarching distinctions: Student Engagement, Teaching, Community and Outcomes. To be designated a “college of distinction,” a school’s curriculum must emphasize such core competencies as critical thinking, writing, oral skills, research and global perspectives. They must also offer dynamic out-of-classroom learning and study abroad programs.
- Business
- Career Development
- Catholic
- Engaged Students
- Education
- Engineering
- Great Teaching
- International
- Military Support
- Successful Outcomes
- Texas
- Vibrant Communities
2025-2026 Badges
Did you know?
A 2024 study commissioned by the St. Mary’s University Center for Catholic Studies found that the value of a Catholic college education extends far beyond financial rewards. Catholic university graduates more likely to report higher fulfillment, ideal life and that morality is extremely important in decision-making. Read more about the study.
Niche
Niche ranked St. Mary’s fourth in Texas for Best Catholic Colleges and No. 11 of Best Small Colleges in Texas. St. Mary’s was also highly ranked among the Best Colleges in San Antonio (5 of 16), Best Catholic Colleges in America (46 of 159) and Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions in America (123 of 377).
Niche’s overall rankings stem from federal data as well as student and alumni reviews to help get a clearer picture of each school’s quality.
Carnegie Classifications
St. Mary’s University has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing St. Mary’s as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published in 2025 by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area.
In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
TechGuide
The St. Mary’s Master of Science in Software Engineering program has been ranked #2 in TechGuide’s 2025 list of the Most Affordable Online Master’s in Software Engineering Programs. This ranking has been based on affordability, showcasing programs that deliver both strong educational value and rigorous academic standards.
Fortune
St. Mary’s University’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity ranked No. 5 for Best Master’s in Cybersecurity for 2025 by Fortune. The programs in this national ranking of in-person cybersecurity master’s degrees are helping to address the talent and skills shortage for cybersecurity professionals.
Did you know?
St. Mary’s is a nationally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution with a diverse student population of more than 3,500 of all faiths and backgrounds.
National Designation
St. Mary’s University, through the M.S. in Cyber Security program, has been designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).
The Cyber Security master’s program is also ranked No. 15 in Cybersecurity Guide’s 2024 rankings.
Forbes
Forbes magazine ranked St. Mary’s 23rd in Texas and No. 101 in the South. This annual review of undergraduate institutions measures those that deliver the best academics, experiences, career successes and the lowest debt.
PayScale
PayScale has repeatedly recognized St. Mary’s for alumni with top salary potential in their careers, and this year was no different.
St. Mary’s was again among Texas’ top schools in the College Salary Report. PayScale also has St. Mary’s ranked 352 of 1589 colleges nationally.
Did you know?
Compared to other Texas colleges and universities, St. Mary’s University provides an education that ranks highly on its return on investment to students, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. The value of students’ investment in their education at St. Mary’s increases dramatically over time. Evaluating the investment 40 years from today earns St. Mary’s a spot among the top 15% of schools studied.
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution gave St. Mary’s a score of 99 out of 100, making it the top university in San Antonio, second in Texas and 17th nationally for how well it prepares students for careers – ahead of Harvard, Notre Dame, Yale, Texas A&M and UT-Austin.
Brookings uses government and private data to analyze college value-added, considering the economic success of graduates – incomes, occupations and loan repayment rates.
Significant Return on Investment
The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities found that Catholic institutions offer students a higher return on investment (ROI) just 10 years after degree completion than other private and liberal arts colleges, outpacing them by at least $15,000. Then, just five years later, Catholic colleges begin to increase their lead in ROI over all other types of institutions, including public colleges and universities. The Catholic edge becomes pronounced in the long term (40 years after degree completion), showing the highest median ROI among all types of higher education institutions — 16% higher than private nonprofit universities and 27% higher than public institutions.
College Factual
St. Mary’s University is considered one of the best schools for the money according to College Factual’s recent rankings, affiliated with USA Today. St. Mary’s has been ranked #20 in Texas. This puts the school in the top 15% for students seeking a quality education at an affordable price. St. Mary’s also earned kudos for best value among social sciences and business administration students. Explore more on the College Factual ranking report.
Washington Monthly
St. Mary’s has routinely been listed among the best master’s universities in the country. There were 616 schools in Washington Monthly’s 2021 College Guide. St. Mary’s also ranked No. 83 of 211 universities in the South for Best Bang for the Buck.
Money Magazine
Money magazine ranked St. Mary’s University the top Catholic university in the Southwest and No. 26 of all Catholic institutions in its 2019 Best Colleges ranking. The magazine also ranked St. Mary’s the second best university in San Antonio, seventh in Texas and No. 220 of 744 nationally. Schools were ranked based on quality of education, affordability and graduates’ job success.
Princeton Review
The Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s was among outstanding MBA programs on the Princeton Review’s national and regional lists for the “Best Business Schools of 2024” and “Best Online MBA Programs.”
The St. Mary’s School of Law made the list “Best Law Schools for 2024.”
St. Mary’s School of Law Rankings and Honors
U.S. News and World Report 2025
The St. Mary’s University School of Law ranked No. 16 in the 2025 Best Graduate School Rankings, placed No. 36 for the Best Part-Time Law Programs ranking and achieved No. 35 for Best Dispute Resolution Programs.
The overall ranking for the St. Mary’s School of Law rose five spots, to No. 148 for Best Law Schools. The international law programs also rose significantly to No. 109 on the Best International Law Programs list. The St. Mary’s School of Law Clinics ranked No. 60 for Best Clinical Training Programs.
American Bar Association
The St. Mary’s University School of Law advocacy program was tied for No. 1 nationally in 2023-2024 by the ABA. The ABA has created this award to recognize law schools that go above and beyond to help prepare their students for practice.
Success in these competitions illustrates St. Mary’s commitment to providing a well-rounded curriculum and preparing students to become highly skilled lawyers.
Texas Lawyer
Texas Lawyer magazine listed the St. Mary’s University School of Law’s Master of Laws program as the best in the state.