Marist College vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to Marist College or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Marist College or Lafayette College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Marist College vs. Lafayette College comparison
Marist College Lafayette College College 3 College 4
Marist College Lafayette College
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Overview

Marist College Lafayette College
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,452 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #217 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marist.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Marist College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $45,330 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $45,330 $61,482
Room & Board $17,710 $18,640
Avg Net Price $40,106 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $23,836 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 52%

Admission

Marist College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,224 9,874
Admitted 6,616 3,107
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 31.5%
Enrolled % 19.5% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 27/30 30/33
SAT Range 1220/1360 1340/1490
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Marist College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Marist College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 80% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

Marist College Lafayette College
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 8% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 67%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Marist College Lafayette College
% In-State 44% 13%
% Out-of-State 54% 79%

Campus

Marist College Lafayette College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Marist College is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (6,452 students vs. 2,764 students)

Marist College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marist College or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 35.6% more expensive to attend than Marist College for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $45,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.6% higher at Lafayette College than Marist College ($61,482.00 vs. $45,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than Marist College ($34,728 vs. $40,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marist College are 5.3% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($17,710 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marist College than Lafayette College (97% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 85.1% larger than aid received Marist College ($44,126 vs. $23,836)

Marist College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Marist College or Lafayette College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lafayette College or Marist College .

  • Accepted freshman Marist College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Marist College has a higher acceptance rate (64.7%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Marist College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Marist College or Lafayette College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lafayette College and Marist College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Marist College (88% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $22,000 more per year than Marist College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $59,000)
  • Lafayette College and Marist College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Lafayette College and Marist College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marist College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/