


Mount Marty University is a private Catholic institution in Yankton, South Dakota, founded by the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart in 1936. It began as Mount Marty College and adopted its current university name in 2020.
The name change reflects an institution that offers graduate as well as undergraduate education. Its Benedictine origins remain relevant to its identity: prospective students will encounter a religiously affiliated university, not a public or secular college, although they need not assume every academic program is religious in content.
Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate study, with programs spanning nursing and other health fields, education, business, the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Students can study subjects such as biology, psychology, accounting, criminal justice and theology alongside professional programs.
For applicants comparing majors, the distinction between a subject and a professional pathway matters. Nursing and teacher education, for example, can involve clinical or field placements and requirements beyond ordinary classroom coursework. Graduate options include advanced nursing study. Applicants should use the current academic catalog to check the credential, campus or delivery format, prerequisites and graduation requirements for a particular program rather than assuming that every subject is offered at every degree level.
Mount Marty's main campus is in Yankton, a South Dakota community on the Missouri River near the Nebraska border. Its setting is smaller-city rather than metropolitan, which can affect commuting, employment options and access to off-campus services.
The university also has educational activity beyond its Yankton campus, including nursing education associated with Sioux Falls. Applicants to a specialized or graduate program should confirm where its classes and required placements take place; the Yankton campus experience does not necessarily describe every Mount Marty program. Students traveling from farther away should plan for regional ground transportation as well as air travel.
Mount Marty describes its educational purpose through its Catholic, Benedictine identity, emphasizing learning, service and the development of the whole person. These are the university's stated priorities, not measures of individual student outcomes.
That identity may be visible in coursework, service opportunities and campus activities. Students deciding whether the environment suits them can look at the requirements of their intended major and the university's current mission statement, particularly if they want to understand how religious studies or Benedictine values fit into their education.
Name of the institution
Mount Marty UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Town: RemoteInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1936Mount Marty University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - professional practice
Doctor's degree - otherData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.