MICA vs. St. Mary's

Comparable Facts

Compare Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD 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.

Maryland Institute College of Art is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (1,687 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Maryland Institute College of Art is located in Baltimore, MD (Large City setting); St. Mary's College of Maryland is in St. Mary's City, MD (Distant Rural setting).
• Maryland Institute College of Art 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: Maryland Institute College of Art 9:1; St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1.

MICA vs. St. Mary's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MICA 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 MICA ($21,071 vs. $47,834).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 21.2% lower than at Maryland Institute College of Art ($16,079 vs. $20,400).
• Maryland Institute College of Art is 271.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $41,502 more per year; $56,800.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 81% higher at MICA than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $25,426 more per year; $56,800.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Maryland Institute College of Art than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Maryland Institute College of Art students is 159.5% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($29,578 vs. $11,398).

MICA vs. St. Mary's Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MICA 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 MICA.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 50 points higher than at MICA (1190).
• Incoming MICA students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at St. Mary's).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Maryland Institute College of Art 1078/1305; St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Maryland Institute College of Art 25/33; St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MICA - Test optional; St. Mary's - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: MICA Feb 1, 2027; St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman MICA students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• MICA has a higher acceptance rate (76.8%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.4% at MICA vs. 17.3% at St. Mary's.

MICA vs. St. Mary's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MICA 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 Maryland Institute College of Art's (71%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $11,200 more per year than MICA graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $40,300), 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 MICA graduates ($20,370 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than MICA graduates ($210 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MICA students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 72%)

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.