St. Mary’s University
St. Mary's University is a private Catholic university in Calgary, Alberta — the only Catholic university in Western Canada — offering undergraduate, graduate, diploma, and certificate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and education to high-school graduates, transfer students, mature learners, international students, and certified educators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersCalgary, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What St. Mary’s University does
St. Mary's University is a private, non-profit Catholic university located in Calgary, Alberta, and the only Catholic university in Western Canada. It delivers undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology, Bachelor of Education after-degree), graduate programs (Master of Education with a Specialization in Catholic Leadership, delivered fully online), a Business Diploma in Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility, and certificate programs including the Pastoral Certificate in Catholic Theological Studies. The university serves five distinct student segments — recent high school graduates, transfer students from partner colleges, mature learners, international students and refugees, and certified educators seeking graduate credentials — through on-campus instruction at its 14500 Bannister Road SE campus, online graduate programming, and practicum partnerships with Calgary-area school boards.
Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees (Bachelor-level programs, application fee of $100, registration deposit of $200, graduation fee of $100, with graduate programs at approximately $6,000 for the Pastoral Certificate), supplemented by alumni donations and giving (Alumni Fund, Scholarships, Student Emergency Funds), facility rentals, parking, summer camps, and ancillary services. Block-transfer agreements with Bow Valley College, Medicine Hat College, and Old Sun Community College generate a feeder pipeline of up to 60 credits per transfer student, and the institution holds registered charity status (11918 8944 RR0001) plus Universities Canada membership.
The technology stack is conventional academic infrastructure — D2L (Desire2Learn) Learning Management System, Microsoft 365 for email and office tools, ProQuest EBook Central, LibKey browser integration, and the Primo library discovery platform — with no proprietary AI/ML components, developer-facing APIs, or differentiated software assets. Operations are supported by 51–100 employees with an average class size of 25, and recent strategic activity (Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education, M.Ed. and Pastoral Certificate launches, three senior executive appointments in 2026) signals active programmatic expansion within the Catholic higher-education niche.
St. Mary’s University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- St. Mary’s University
- Legal name
- St. Mary's University
- Website
- https://stmu.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- St. Mary's University is a private Catholic university in Calgary, Alberta — the only Catholic university in Western Canada — offering undergraduate, graduate, diploma, and certificate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and education to high-school graduates, transfer students, mature learners, international students, and certified educators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
St. Mary’s University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)
Keywords
Where St. Mary’s University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Calgary
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
St. Mary’s University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: The university generates revenue primarily through tuition fees from undergraduate and graduate programs, including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Education, and Master of Education programs. Application fees ($100 non-refundable) and graduation fees ($100) are also charged.
- Donations and Alumni Giving: Alumni and donors contribute through the Alumni Fund, Alumni Scholarship, Student Emergency Fund, and Student Emergency Tuition Bursary Fund. The university has received major donations including from Clayton and Linda Woitas for the Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education.
- Campus Services and Facilities: Revenue generated from parking, facility rentals, summer camps, bookstore operations, and IT services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Application fee for undergraduate programs |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Registration deposit to secure seat |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Graduation fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Tuition for Pastoral Certificate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Challenge examination fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Transcript fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Grade appeal fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Academic upgrading courses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
St. Mary’s University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
St. Mary's University is a private Catholic university in Calgary, Alberta offering undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts across multiple disciplines, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Education After-Degree), graduate programs (Master of Education in Catholic Leadership), a Business Diploma in Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility, a Pastoral Certificate in Catholic Theological Studies, and Leadership Quality Standard certification courses for school administrators. Programs are grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition with an average class size of 25 students and emphasize holistic development of mind, body, and spirit.
Product overview
St. Mary's University is a liberal arts and sciences university in Calgary, Alberta, offering a portfolio of undergraduate degree programs (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science), professional programs (Bachelor of Education After-Degree), graduate programs (Master of Education), diploma programs (Business Diploma in Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility), and certificate programs (Pastoral Certificate in Catholic Theological Studies). The university also provides academic support services including library services, the Student Success Centre with peer tutoring and counselling, and Lightning Athletics programs. Programs are grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition with emphasis on developing the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lightning Athletics: The athletic program of St. Mary's University, competing in ACAC since 2012, featuring basketball, cross country, indoor track, and badminton teams.
- Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education
Products and services
- Bachelor of Arts Degrees
Quantifiable outcome
- 91% of current students would recommend St. Mary's as a great place to go
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use St. Mary’s University
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
St. Mary’s University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
St. Mary’s University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ApplyAlbertacoreApplyAlberta is a consortium of Alberta's post-secondary institutions providing a centralized online application system. St. Mary's University uses ApplyAlberta for undergraduate applications, with transcripts automatically obtained from participating institutions.
- Bow Valley CollegecoreBlock transfer agreements: ECED diploma students receive 45 credits toward 3-year General Studies degree; University Transfer program students receive 30 credits. Pathway for graduates to enter B.Ed. Elementary program.
- Medicine Hat CollegecoreBiology Transfer Program: Students complete Years 1-2 at Medicine Hat College then transfer directly into St. Mary's BSc Biology degree with 60 credits block transfer.
- Alberta School Boards (Calgary and Surrounding)corePartnerships with all school boards in and surrounding Calgary for B.Ed. practicum placements. International practicum opportunities in Mexico, Taiwan, and British Columbia (Catholic Independent Schools of Prince George).
- Old Sun Community CollegeminorSiksika Knowledge Transfer Program: Students who completed courses in Siksika Knowledge Certificate Program at Old Sun Community College may transfer up to 60 credits into a St. Mary's University degree program.
- Universities CanadaminorSt. Mary's University is a member of Universities Canada, the voice of Canada's universities supporting higher education advocacy and policy.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
St. Mary’s University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ambrose University: Ambrose University is a private Christian liberal arts and sciences university in Calgary, Alberta. It is the most direct peer to St. Mary's because both are small, religiously-affiliated, private liberal arts universities serving the same Calgary market with overlapping student demographics and similar program structures.
- Concordia University of Edmonton: Concordia University of Edmonton is a private Christian liberal arts university in Alberta offering BA, BSc, and B.Ed programs rooted in Lutheran tradition. It is a strong peer given similar religious affiliation, similar program mix (liberal arts + education), and similar scale as a small private Alberta institution.
- The King's University: King's University is a private Christian liberal arts university in Edmonton offering BA, BSc, and B.Ed programs. Comparable to St. Mary's because both are small, faith-based, private Alberta institutions emphasizing whole-person education with similar tuition models and program structures.
- Trinity Western University: Trinity Western University is a private Christian liberal arts university in Langley, BC. Comparable to St. Mary's as a faith-based private Canadian university emphasizing liberal arts education with Catholic/Christian intellectual tradition, similar small-class approach, and education (B.Ed) programs.
- Redeemer University: Redeemer University is a private Christian liberal arts university in Hamilton, Ontario. Comparable to St. Mary's as a small Canadian faith-based institution emphasizing Reformed/Catholic intellectual tradition, liberal arts education, and B.Ed programs with strong community and values-based identity.
- Bishop's University: Bishop's University is a small primarily undergraduate liberal arts university in Quebec. Comparable to StMU as a small Canadian liberal arts university offering BA, BSc, and B.Ed programs with emphasis on personalized instruction and whole-person education, though secular rather than Catholic.
Regional players
- Mount Royal University: Mount Royal University is a publicly-funded undergraduate university in Calgary offering liberal arts, sciences, and education degrees. It competes with StMU for the same Calgary-area high school graduates seeking smaller class sizes and undergraduate-focused education, but operates at significantly larger scale as a public institution.
- University of Lethbridge: University of Lethbridge is a publicly-funded comprehensive university in Alberta with strong liberal arts, sciences, and education programs. It competes with StMU for Alberta high school graduates and transfer students, particularly through its education faculty and smaller class sizes.
Emerging players
- Athabasca University: Athabasca University is Canada's leading online university based in Alberta. It overlaps with StMU's new online M.Ed. and online professional development offerings, competing for working professionals seeking flexible graduate education, though Athabasca operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
- St. Stephen's University: St. Stephen's University is a small private Christian liberal arts university in New Brunswick offering interdisciplinary and theological studies. It is a peer to St. Mary's as another small Canadian faith-based university with overlapping theological/certificate programs, though located in a different region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
St. Mary’s University social profiles
Digital presenceSt. Mary’s University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
St. Mary’s University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
St. Mary’s University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
St. Mary’s University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about St. Mary’s University
What does St. Mary’s University do?
St. Mary's University is a private Catholic university in Calgary, Alberta offering undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts across multiple disciplines, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Education After-Degree), graduate programs (Master of Education in Catholic Leadership), a Business Diploma in Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility, a Pastoral Certificate in Catholic Theological Studies, and Leadership Quality Standard certification courses for school administrators. Programs are grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition with an average class size of 25 students and emphasize holistic development of mind, body, and spirit.
Is St. Mary’s University a public or private company?
St. Mary’s University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was St. Mary’s University founded?
St. Mary’s University was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is St. Mary’s University based?
St. Mary’s University is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, in the North America region.
How does St. Mary’s University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Alumni Giving and campus Services and Facilities.
Who are St. Mary’s University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ambrose University, Concordia University of Edmonton, The King's University, Trinity Western University, Redeemer University and Bishop's University. Regional players are Mount Royal University and University of Lethbridge. Emerging players are Athabasca University and St. Stephen's University.
Does St. Mary’s University have an API?
No public API is recorded for St. Mary’s University.
What industry is St. Mary’s University in?
St. Mary’s University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAF, Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges, with a secondary code of EDAHAKAM, Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.