Dominican vs. St. Mary's College

Comparable Facts

Compare Dominican University in River Forest, IL with Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Dominican University is larger than St. Mary's College based on total student enrollment (3,803 students vs. 1,601 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Dominican University is located in River Forest, IL (Large Suburban setting); Saint Mary's College is in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting).
• Dominican University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Dominican University 12:1; Saint Mary's College 9:1.

Dominican vs. St. Mary's College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dominican or St. Mary's College? 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 Dominican University than St. Mary's College ($13,402 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dominican University are 10.8% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($12,716 vs. $14,260).
• Saint Mary's College is 36.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Dominican (about $14,252 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $38,978.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.6% higher at St. Mary's College than at Dominican University (about $14,252 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $38,978.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Dominican University as at Saint Mary's College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 26% larger than aid received by Dominican University students ($38,748 vs. $30,756).

Dominican vs. St. Mary's College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Dominican or St. Mary's College? 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 College and Dominican.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 240 points higher than at Dominican (990).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 21 at Dominican).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Dominican University 880/1100; Saint Mary's College 1130/1325.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Dominican University 16/26; Saint Mary's College 26/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Dominican - Test optional; St. Mary's College - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Dominican Aug 31, 2027.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Dominican (3.74).
• Dominican has a higher acceptance rate (90.3%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.1% at Dominican vs. 20.1% at St. Mary's College.

Dominican vs. St. Mary's College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Dominican and St. Mary's College? 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's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Dominican University's (63%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than Dominican graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $48,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Dominican University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Dominican graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dominican students, three years after graduation. (85% 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.