Howard vs. St. Mary's

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard 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.

Howard University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Howard 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).
• Howard 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: Howard University 13:1; St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1.

Howard vs. St. Mary's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard 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 Howard ($21,071 vs. $33,368).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 7.2% lower than at Howard University ($16,079 vs. $17,322).
• Howard University is 134.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $20,512 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.1% higher at Howard than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $4,436 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (99% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 86.5% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($21,262 vs. $11,398).

Howard vs. St. Mary's Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard 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 Howard.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 30 points higher than at Howard (1210).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Howard).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; St. Mary's - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Howard (41.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 17.3% at St. Mary's.

Howard vs. St. Mary's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard 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 Howard University's (63%).
• Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $300 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $6,630 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($20,370 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($210 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 33%)

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.