St Mary's Academy

What St Mary's Academy does

St. Mary's Academy is a private Catholic school located at 6905 Chef Menteur Blvd in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1867 by the Sisters of the Holy Family under Mother Josephine Charles, it is one of the oldest Black Catholic schools in the country and was the first secondary school for girls in New Orleans (designated as St. Mary's Academy in 1881). The institution operates three divisions — a co-educational elementary school (PreK-5th grade), a co-educational middle school (6th-8th grade), and an all-girls college preparatory high school (9th-12th grade) — on a single campus rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina (2005) into permanent facilities completed in 2011. Curriculum is delivered through traditional classroom instruction supported by RenWeb One for school management, a 1:1 laptop program for high school students, Chromebooks in middle school, SMARTBOARDS across all grade levels, and supplemental adaptive learning tools (StudyIsland, Starfall, Moby Max, Ebsco). The school holds Cognia, SACS, and State of Louisiana accreditations and operates under the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The school's core offerings include AP and Honors tracks, a College Tour Program partnering with 25+ colleges and HBCUs (Spelman, Tuskegee, Vanderbilt, Dillard, Southern, etc.), a Social Graces program with debutante presentation, and the newly launched Venerable Henriette Delille Youth Leadership Institute. Athletic teams (volleyball, basketball, softball, track, golf, soccer, sailing, swim, cheerleading) and 40+ extracurricular clubs (including the Cougar Marching Band, Mock Trial, Mu Alpha Theta, and National Honor Society) round out the student experience. Outcomes include 100% college acceptance, 99% post-secondary enrollment, and Class of 2025 earning $15.36 million in scholarships, with an average of over $9 million annually in recent years.

The revenue model is tuition-driven, with annual tuition ranging from $5,860 (PreK) to $9,660 (12th grade) plus a $750 registration fee, mandatory fundraisers ($150 x 2 per family), and supplemental income from Adopt a Student scholarships, general donations, and $50/year alumnae dues. Major philanthropic inflows include a $1 million 10-year commitment from Charles Barkley (2024-2034) and a $500,000 Yass Prize (2024). The school is governed by a nonprofit board under the Archdiocese of New Orleans, with Mrs. Pamela M. Rogers serving as the first lay President (since 2022). The customer base consists of families seeking private Catholic, college-preparatory education for children, with geographic concentration in the New Orleans metropolitan area and Louisiana.

Name

St Mary's Academy

Legal name

St. Mary's Academy

Website

https://smaneworleans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

St. Mary's Academy is a private Catholic PreK-12 school in New Orleans and one of the oldest Black Catholic schools in the United States, founded in 1867 by the Sisters of the Holy Family. It serves families seeking holistic, college-preparatory education, with co-ed elementary and middle school divisions and an all-girls high school.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK)

Keywords

• Private catholic education
• College preparatory school
• K-12 education
• All-girls secondary education
• Co-educational elementary school

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition payments ranging from $5,860 to $9,660 depending on grade level. Pre-paid tuition policy with multiple payment options including full payment, two installments, financing through Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, or credit card with 2% service charge.
2. Registration and Fees: Registration fees of $750 for most grade levels. Additional fees for Art, Marching Unit, Retreat, ACT Prep, Additional Electives, and Senior Fees as applicable.
3. Mandatory Fundraisers: Two mandatory fundraisers at $150 per family each, totaling $300 annually per family.
4. Adopt a Student Program: Scholarship donations from benefactors to support students with financial need. Donors can contribute partial or full tuition scholarships.
5. Alumnae Dues: Annual alumnae membership dues of $50 per year, running from July 1 to June 30. Supports alumnae functions and day-to-day operations.
6. General Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support the continued success of the school and transform the lives of students. Donations support whole person education - mind, body, and spirit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

St. Mary's Academy is a private Catholic co-educational elementary school (Pre-K through 5th grade) and college preparatory middle and high school for young women (grades 6-12) founded in 1867 by the Sisters of the Holy Family. The school delivers holistic education focused on spiritual, academic, social, and aesthetic development, including AP and Honors tracks, a college tour program visiting 25+ institutions, the Venerable Henriette Delille Youth Leadership Institute, social graces curriculum, athletics, and over 40 extracurricular activities.

Product overview

St. Mary's Academy is a private Catholic co-educational elementary school (Pre-K through 5th grade) and college preparatory middle/high school for young women (grades 6-12). The institution offers a holistic education encompassing spiritual, academic, and social development. The core educational offerings span Elementary School, Middle School, and High School divisions, supplemented by specialized programs including AP and Honors tracks, the Venerable Henriette Delille Youth Leadership Institute, College Tour Program, and Social Graces Program. Technology integration includes a 1:1 laptop program for high school students with SMARTBOARDS across all grade levels. The school also offers extensive extracurricular activities including athletics (volleyball, basketball, track, golf, soccer, sailing, swim, cheerleading, softball) and over 40 clubs and organizations including band, chorus, mock trial, and honor societies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Venerable Henriette Delille Youth Leadership Institute: A program designed to develop and create visionary leaders for young ladies in grades 8-12, focusing on critical thinking, Christian values, service, and responsible action.

Products and services

• Elementary School Program (PreK-5th Grade) Co-educational elementary school (Pre-K through 5th grade) with curriculum including religion, language arts, spelling, handwriting, math, science, social studies, physical education, technology, and music. Holistic education focused on spiritual, mental, physical, and aesthetic development.
• Middle School Program (6th-8th Grade) Co-educational middle school (grades 6-8) offering curriculum in religion, English, reading, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, electives (art, band, chorus, French, Spanish), and physical education. College-preparatory focus with critical thinking, faith formation, and leadership development.
• High School Program (9th-12th Grade) College preparatory high school for young women offering AP Program, Honors Program, regular programs, electives (band, broadcast journalism, chorus, culinary arts, engineering, film study, fine arts survey, Google Certification, journalism, piano, social justice, social media, Spanish language culture, yearbook), and community service requirements. 100% college acceptance rate.
• Venerable Henriette Delille Youth Leadership Institute Summer leadership development program for young ladies in grades 8-12 designed to develop visionary leaders who think critically, live Christian values, give service and act responsibly. Four-day summer program in June.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of seniors earn acceptance to colleges nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sisters of the Holy FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1867Founding religious order of St. Mary's Academy. Established the school in 1867 under Mother Josephine Charles. The sisters continue to provide leadership and support, with the order tracing roots to Venerable Henriette Delille who co-founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1852.
• Archdiocese of New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverseeing body for Catholic schools in the region. St. Mary's Academy follows Archdiocese guidelines and decisions, particularly regarding emergency/disaster procedures and school closings. Students from Archdiocese elementary schools receive application cards.
• College/University Partners (25+ institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege tour program partners including Alabama State University, Tuskegee University, Springhill College, Spelman College, Agnes Scott College, Clark Atlanta University, Southern University and A&M College, Alabama A&M University, Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University, Fisk University, Dillard University, Georgia State University, Louisiana State University, Jackson State University, Miles College, University of Louisiana Lafayette, Southeastern Louisiana University, Loyola University New Orleans, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Nicholl's State University, Oakwood University, University of Alabama, Bethune Cookman University, and Florida A&M University.
• Louisiana State Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Ebsco online database access for research resources for teachers and students. Curriculum aligned with Department of Education standards for secondary schools.
• RenWeb (formerly FACTS)coreTechnology or IntegrationSchool management platform used by teachers, students, and parents for academic record sharing, grade books, lesson planning, attendance, and student performance management.
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Invent It! Build It! Conference bringing young women from across the city to explore engineering opportunities.
• Allen Ray Bolin Trial Advocacy GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Mock Trial competition that SMA students participate in annually, providing legal education and competition opportunities.
• New Orleans East HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing CPR training and certification for high school students in Health & Physical Education Department partnership.
• Kiwanis Club of PontchartrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with elementary division implementing Books for Bikes program to incentivize literacy for students in grades 2-4.
• Manning Family Children'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal hospital where SMA Honors Society and National Honor Society students delivered nearly 50 Easter baskets for young patients.
• Bourbon Orleans HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotel spotlighted SMA's shared history and early roots during Black History Month, recognizing the Academy's historical significance.
• Xavier University of LouisianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Spring Math Fair where SMA seniors swept the competition. Ongoing partnership in college tours and academic competitions.
• Southern University at New OrleansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Research Conference where SMA underclassmen demonstrated academic versatility. Ongoing partnership in college tours.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brother Martin High School: Private Catholic all-boys college preparatory high school in New Orleans. Directly comparable as another Archdiocese-affiliated Catholic secondary school with similar tuition pricing, college-prep mission, and athletics emphasis serving New Orleans families.
• Archbishop Rummel High School: Private Catholic all-boys high school in Metairie (New Orleans metro), operated under the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Direct peer as another Archdiocesan Catholic secondary school with similar tuition model, college-prep curriculum, and regional family base.
• Mount Carmel Academy: Private Catholic all-girls college preparatory high school in New Orleans. Closest direct competitor given single-sex Catholic college-prep positioning, similar tuition structure, and overlapping feeder markets in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
• De La Salle High School: Private Catholic high school in New Orleans serving the local Catholic community with college-preparatory curriculum. Comparable as another Archdiocese-affiliated Catholic secondary school with similar tuition pricing and family demographic.
• Jesuit High School New Orleans: Private Catholic all-boys college preparatory high school in New Orleans with similar academic rigor and college-preparatory focus. Comparable as a peer Catholic secondary school targeting similar demographics and competing for the same high-achieving New Orleans students.
• Cabrini High School: Catholic high school in the New Orleans area. Direct regional peer operating with a similar faith-based college-preparatory model targeting families seeking Catholic secondary education in the same metropolitan market.
• Holy Cross School: Private Catholic school in New Orleans with elementary through high school programs. Comparable peer as another Catholic K-12 institution in the same market with similar tuition structure and college-prep focus.
• Ursuline Academy: New Orleans-based private Catholic all-girls college preparatory school with elementary through high school programs. Directly comparable as another all-girls Catholic high school serving the same New Orleans market with similar college-prep mission and tuition-based model.
• St. Augustine High School: Private Catholic all-boys high school in New Orleans with a notable historical legacy in the Black Catholic community. Highly comparable peer given overlapping cultural mission, Archdiocesan affiliation, and shared history of partnership during the post-Katrina recovery period.

Regional players

• Xavier University Preparatory School: Historically Black Catholic K-12 school in New Orleans affiliated with Xavier University. Particularly comparable given the cultural and historical overlap as another Black Catholic institution in the same city, although it ceased secondary operations and now focuses on lower grades.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MARYITECENTRAL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@st.marysacademyneworleans7214
• Facebookfacebook.com/319204864891300
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/st-mary's-academy-95
• Instagraminstagram.com/maryitecentral

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 St Mary's Academy