Sacramento State vs. Saint Mary's College of California

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, CA with Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Sacramento is larger than Saint Mary's College of California based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 2,734 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Sacramento is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); Saint Mary's College of California is in Moraga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Mary's College of California is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Sacramento 24:1; Saint Mary's College of California 10:1.

Sacramento State vs. Saint Mary's College of California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 California State University Sacramento than Saint Mary's College of California ($10,110 vs. $35,332).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College of California are 8.2% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($17,600 vs. $19,174).
• Saint Mary's College of California is 620.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sacramento State (about $49,785 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $8,018.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 180.4% higher at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University Sacramento (about $37,185 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $20,618.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University Sacramento (100% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College of California students is 232.2% larger than aid received by California State University Sacramento students ($42,407 vs. $12,767).

Sacramento State vs. Saint Mary's College of California Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 Saint Mary's College of California and Sacramento State.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College of California (1160) is 130 points higher than at Sacramento State (1030).
• Incoming Saint Mary's College of California students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (24 vs. 20 at Sacramento State).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 930/1130; Saint Mary's College of California 1070/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 17/23; Saint Mary's College of California 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sacramento State - Test-free; Saint Mary's College of California - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; Saint Mary's College of California Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Saint Mary's College of California students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Sacramento State (3.42).
• Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (94%) than Saint Mary's College of California (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 9.5% at Saint Mary's College of California.

Sacramento State vs. Saint Mary's College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sacramento State and Saint Mary's College of California? 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).

• Saint Mary's College of California's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than California State University Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College of California earn a median of about $15,800 more per year than Sacramento State graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,800 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $9,250 lower median loan debt than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($15,750 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $96 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($162 vs. $258).
• More Saint Mary's College of California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 64%)

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.