Mount St. Mary's University Launches Maryland Tuition Promise

New program ensures eligible Maryland students can receive a Mount education with annual tuition costs no greater than $12,500.

EMMITSBURG, Md., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mount St. Mary's University is making its distinctive private, Catholic liberal arts education more accessible to Maryland students through the launch of the Maryland Tuition Promise, a new initiative that guarantees eligible students will pay no more than $12,500 in tuition.

For many Maryland families, the cost of attending a private university can seem out of reach, leading students to believe a public institution is their only affordable option. The Maryland Tuition Promise changes that calculation by bringing a Mount education within reach at a price comparable to the average tuition cost at several Maryland public universities.

"The Maryland Tuition Promise reflects who we are at the Mount and our commitment to making a Mount education accessible to talented students across Maryland" says Gerard "Jerry" Joyce, Ph.D., president of Mount St. Mary's University. "We want students and families to know that a high quality, values-based education is within reach. This program will open the door for more Maryland students to experience the personal attention, strong sense of community, and opportunities that prepare our graduates to lead lives of purpose and make a difference."

At Mount St. Mary's, students benefit from small classes, close faculty mentorship and a supportive campus community on the university's 1,400-acre mountain campus. The university is ranked the No. 1 college in Maryland for job placement by Zippia.com, and 96% of the Class of 2025 was employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation. Mount graduates also earn 33% more than regional peers six years after beginning college, according to the 2025 Carnegie Classification Report.

Eligible students will receive a financial aid package that combines merit scholarships and other institutional awards to reduce out-of-pocket tuition costs to $12,500 or less. The program will begin with first-year students enrolling in fall 2027.

To qualify for the Maryland Tuition Promise, students must:

• Be a Maryland resident.
• Live on campus as a residential student at Mount St. Mary's University.
• Earn a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Have a total family income of $125,000 or less, based on 2025 federal income taxes, including taxable and untaxable income.
• File the 2027–28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid by Dec. 1 and complete the Mount application process.

Students and families can learn more about the Maryland Tuition Promise by contacting the Office of Admissions at [email protected] or 301-447-5214.

About Mount St. Mary's University

Mount St. Mary's University is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university located near the Catoctin Mountains in historic Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick, Maryland's second-largest city. The university offers more than 70 majors, minors, concentrations and special programs for traditional undergraduate students, and more than 20 adult undergraduate and graduate programs.

SOURCE Mount St. Mary's University