Mount St Mary's University

What Mount St Mary's University does

Mount St. Mary's University is a private Catholic liberal arts university founded in 1808 and headquartered in Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick. The institution enrolls more than 2,100 full-time students across six academic divisions on three campuses and operates with a headcount of 501-1,000 employees. It offers more than 80 majors, minors, concentrations, and special programs for traditional undergraduates, plus more than 25 adult undergraduate and graduate programs delivered through the Division of Continuing Studies, the Center for Accelerated and Adult Education, and Mount Online. Academic units include the College of Liberal Arts, Richard J. Bolte Sr. School of Business (IACBE accredited), Anthony F. and Alice G. Agnone School of Education (AAQEP accredited), Timothy E. Trainor College of Health Professions (ARC-PA accredited for the PA program), and the School of Science, Mathematics & Technology. The Palmieri Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ethical Leaders Program provide differentiating experiential layers.

The university's core product is degree-granting higher education built on a sequential Core Curriculum rooted in Catholic intellectual tradition across three tracks. Technology components are modest and primarily delivery-focused: fully online and hybrid program formats via Mount Online, 5- and 8-week accelerated asynchronous/synchronous sessions, and physical learning infrastructure including a recently upgraded Business Innovation Lab (32 workstations) and 3D-printing-enabled Palmieri Center. The institution holds multiple specialized accreditations (IACBE, AAQEP, ARC-PA) that gate entry into credentialed business, education, and physician assistant programs.

Revenue mechanics are dominated by tuition and fees (described as recurring subscription-like) from traditional undergraduates, adult learners in accelerated programs, and online graduate students. Secondary streams include philanthropy and major campaign gifts (with a stated $50M+ investment campaign target), competitive government and foundation grants (e.g., a $115,182 Rural Maryland Council grant), and tuition-reduction institutional partnerships (e.g., 60% undergraduate reduction for Frederick County Chamber of Commerce members). Go-to-market is event-driven and sales-led, relying on campus visits, virtual tours, open houses, transfer-student pipelines, and chamber-style community partnerships to recruit across traditional undergraduate, adult learner, transfer, and international segments.

Name

Mount St Mary's University

Legal name

Mount St. Mary's University

Website

https://msmary.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1808

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mount St. Mary's University is a private Catholic liberal arts university founded in 1808 in Emmitsburg, Maryland, enrolling 2,100+ full-time students across 80+ undergraduate majors and 25+ adult/graduate programs delivered on three campuses and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Liberal arts education
• Graduate degree programs
• Online learning programs
• Healthcare professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Emmitsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including full-time traditional students, adult accelerated programs, and online graduate programs
2. Philanthropy and Campaign Funding: Major gifts, annual fund donations, planned giving, and campaign investments supporting mission-critical priorities. Campaign targets at least $50 million investment.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: External funding from organizations such as Rural Maryland Council ($115,182 grant for student entrepreneurship resources)
4. Institutional Partnerships: Tuition reduction partnerships with organizations like Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, generating revenue through enrolled chamber member families

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mount St. Mary's University is a private Catholic liberal arts institution that delivers higher education through traditional four-year undergraduate programs (80+ majors/minors), graduate and professional programs (MBA, Physician Assistant, Applied Behavior Analysis, Biotechnology Management, education), and accelerated online/adult programs. Instruction is delivered across three campuses—Emmitsburg (main), Frederick (satellite for adult learners), and Mount Online (fully online)—across five academic schools and divisions.

Product overview

Mount St. Mary's University offers a comprehensive portfolio of higher education products and services through its six academic divisions. The institution provides traditional undergraduate programs (80+ majors/minors), graduate programs (MBA, Physician Assistant, Applied Behavior Analysis, Biotechnology Management, and education degrees), and online/accelerated adult education through Mount Online and the Center for Accelerated and Adult Education. Academic offerings are organized into five colleges/schools: the College of Liberal Arts, Richard J. Bolte Sr. School of Business (IACBE accredited), Anthony F. and Alice G. Agnone School of Education (AAQEP accredited), Timothy E. Trainor College of Health Professions (ARC-PA accredited for PA program), and School of Science, Mathematics & Technology. The Palmieri Center for Entrepreneurship supports student venture development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Programs More than 80 majors, minors, concentrations, and special programs in liberal arts, business, health sciences, and STEM for high school graduates pursuing full-time residential undergraduate education at the Emmitsburg campus.
• Graduate School Programs Graduate degree and certificate programs for working professionals, including MBA, Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant, MS in Applied Behavior Analysis, MS in Biotechnology and Management, and online master's degrees in business, education, and health administration.
• Mount Online Fully online programs including accelerated undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees in business, education, and human services, designed for working adults with asynchronous and synchronous learning options.
• Center for Accelerated and Adult Education Degree completion and accelerated programs for working adults, typically offered in 8-week accelerated sessions online, covering business, communication, computational technology, history, human services, and interdisciplinary studies.
• College of Liberal Arts The largest academic unit within the university, offering majors, minors, and programs in humanities including communication, criminal justice, English, foreign languages, history, philosophy, political science, sociology, theology, and visual arts.
• Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business IACBE-accredited business school offering undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting, business, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, sport management, supply chain management, and international business concentrations with study abroad opportunities.
• Anthony F. and Alice G. Agnone School of Education
• Timothy E. Trainor College of Health Professions Health professions college offering ARC-PA accredited Physician Assistant program and Applied Behavior Analysis program, with initiatives including Care for America, Center for Clinician Well-Being, and Blue Peak ABA Center.
• School of Science, Mathematics & Technology STEM school with growing enrollment offering majors in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, cybersecurity, data science, environmental science, health sciences, mathematics, neuroscience, and psychology.
• Division of Continuing Studies Division operating from the Frederick campus and online, offering graduate programs, accelerated undergraduate programs, and Center for Lifelong Learning for working adult students.
• Palmieri Center for Entrepreneurship Student entrepreneurship hub providing skill building, mentorship, and real-world experiences for developing creative critical thinking skills to start businesses or solve business problems, with student venture examples including Elos Thermal's acquisition by Nufabrx.
• Bachelor of Science in Computational Technology Newly launched (January 2026) fully online bachelor's degree and certificate in computational technology, designed for working adults with accelerated five and eight-week sessions in asynchronous and synchronous formats.
• Instructional Design and Technology Degree Programs Newly launched (2026) degree completion program and traditional undergraduate major in Instructional Design and Technology, among the only bachelor's degrees of this kind in the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fourth consecutive Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll recognition among 275 four-year institutions nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• NufabrxmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Acquired student venture Elos Thermal, including patented temperature-regulating insole platform. Operates under Nufabrx Holdings, expanding into healthcare, sports recovery, and footcare distribution channels.
• Frederick Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Co-sponsored the annual Robert 'Bob' Fram CSI Challenge, a hands-on forensic investigation competition. Detectives and forensic specialists from local law enforcement agencies served as judges for student teams.
• Xcelerate SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 October 2025Sponsored Mark Drever Lecture Series featuring Maura Burns, former CIA Chief Operating Officer, speaking on 'U.S. Adversaries Focus on Non-Traditional Sectors'. Event free and open to public.
• Frederick County Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2025Expanded partnership first established in 2019. Eligible chamber members, employees, and dependents receive at least 60% undergraduate tuition reduction. Division of Continuing Studies participants receive 20% reduction. Aims to improve workforce accessibility and strengthen Frederick County's long-term competitiveness.
• Richard J. Bolte Sr. School of BusinesscoreOthersBusiness Innovation Lab upgraded with 32 workstations with monitors through Rural Maryland Council grant funding
• Palmieri Center for EntrepreneurshipcoreOthersEntrepreneurship center upgraded with 3D printers and additional tools through Rural Maryland Council grant funding; supported student ventures including Elos Thermal acquisition by Nufabrx
• CARE PharmaciesminorOthersCEO Michael R. Wysong serving as 2026 commencement speaker; network of over 200 independent pharmacy locations with nearly $2 billion in annual sales

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Providence College: Catholic liberal arts college in Rhode Island with similar size (~4,000 students), liberal arts core curriculum emphasis, and Catholic identity comparable to MSMU's core curriculum focus.
• Duquesne University: Catholic Spiritan university in Pittsburgh with overlapping pharmacy, health sciences, business, and liberal arts programs. Similar size band and urban campus dynamics versus MSMU's rural setting.
• University of Scranton: Jesuit Catholic university in Pennsylvania of similar enrollment size (~5,000 undergrads) with comparable liberal arts, business, and health-professions portfolio. Direct competitor for Northeast Catholic-bound students.
• Gonzaga University: Jesuit Catholic university with strong liberal arts and pre-professional programs of similar scale, faith-based mission, and emphasis on character formation. Comparable Catholic-university positioning.
• Loyola University Maryland: Mid-size Catholic Jesuit university in Baltimore with comparable enrollment scale, similar liberal arts and professional program mix, and same Maryland regional footprint. Direct competitor for Maryland Catholic-bound students.
• Seton Hall University: Catholic university in New Jersey with similar enrollment size, mix of liberal arts, business, and health-professions programs, and traditional/online adult learner segments. Closely comparable scale and program structure.
• Catholic University of America: U.S. Catholic university in Washington, D.C. with faith-based liberal arts mission, professional schools, and overlapping program portfolio including law and health-related programs. Competes for Catholic-affiliated students in the Mid-Atlantic.
• Saint Joseph's University: Jesuit Catholic university in Philadelphia with comparable business school accreditation, online and accelerated adult programs, and similar enrollment scale. Direct competitor in Mid-Atlantic Catholic segment.

Broad incumbents

• Villanova University: Larger, established Catholic Augustinian university in Pennsylvania with broader program portfolio (engineering, nursing, law). Larger aspirational peer and competitor for top-tier Catholic students.
• Loyola Marymount University: Larger Catholic (Jesuit/Marymount) university in Los Angeles with comprehensive liberal arts, business, science, and engineering programs. Larger-scale Catholic-university incumbent in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MountStMarysU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MountStMaryU
• Facebookfacebook.com/16337550919
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mount-st-marys-university/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/mountstmarysu

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mount St Mary's University