AU vs. St. Mary's

Comparable Facts

Compare American University in Washington, DC with St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, MD on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (12,321 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); St. Mary's College of Maryland is in St. Mary's City, MD (Distant Rural setting).
• American University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American University 10:1; St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1.

AU vs. St. Mary's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or St. Mary's? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St. Mary's College of Maryland than AU ($21,071 vs. $39,676).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 10.6% lower than at American University ($16,079 vs. $17,982).
• American University is 284.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $43,473 more per year; $58,771.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 87.3% higher at AU than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $27,397 more per year; $58,771.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at American University (98% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 218.9% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($36,349 vs. $11,398).

AU vs. St. Mary's Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or St. Mary's? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between St. Mary's and AU.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at American University (1370) is 130 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming AU students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 28 at St. Mary's).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: American University 1280/1460; St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: American University 29/32; St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: AU - Test optional; St. Mary's - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: AU Jan 15, 2027; St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than AU (62%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.6% at AU vs. 17.3% at St. Mary's.

AU vs. St. Mary's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for AU and St. Mary's? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• St. Mary's College of Maryland's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than American University's (77%).
• Graduates from American University earn a median of about $13,300 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,800 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $3,880 lower median loan debt than AU graduates ($20,370 vs. $24,250).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than AU graduates ($210 vs. $250).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.