St. Bona vs. DeSales University

Should I go to Saint Bonaventure University or DeSales University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Bona or DeSales University 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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Saint Bonaventure University vs. DeSales University comparison
Saint Bonaventure University DeSales University College 3 College 4
Saint Bonaventure University DeSales University
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Overview

St. Bona DeSales University
Location Saint Bonaventure, NY Center Valley, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,603 2,919
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #502 #295
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sbu.edu desales.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Bona DeSales University
Tuition (In State) $38,950 $43,000
Tuition (Out of State) $38,950 $43,000
Room & Board $15,000 $13,800
Avg Net Price $27,659 $30,524
Avg Grant Aid $27,508 $28,789
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

St. Bona DeSales University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,299 3,636
Admitted 3,505 2,857
Acceptance Rate 81.5% 78.6%
Enrolled % 16.4% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 24/28
SAT Range 1050/1260 1090/1290
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 Jul 30, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

St. Bona DeSales University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

St. Bona DeSales University
Graduation Rate 63% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,800 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

St. Bona DeSales University
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 17% 18%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 75%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 9% 6%

Students

St. Bona DeSales University
% In-State 78% 66%
% Out-of-State 17% 34%

Campus

St. Bona DeSales University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • DeSales University is larger than than St. Bona based on total student enrollment (2,919 students vs. 2,603 students)

St. Bona vs. DeSales University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Bona or DeSales University?

  • DeSales University is 10.4% more expensive to attend than St. Bona for in-state tuition ($43,000.00 vs. $38,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.4% higher at DeSales University than Saint Bonaventure University ($43,000.00 vs. $38,950.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Bonaventure University than DeSales University ($27,659 vs. $30,524)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at DeSales University are 8.7% lower than costs at Saint Bonaventure University ($13,800 vs. $15,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DeSales University than Saint Bonaventure University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DeSales University students is 4.7% larger than aid received Saint Bonaventure University ($28,789 vs. $27,508)

St. Bona vs. DeSales University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Bona or DeSales University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between DeSales University or St. Bona .

  • The average SAT score at Saint Bonaventure University (1066) is 12 points higher than at DeSales University (1054)
  • Incoming DeSales University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Bona (24)
  • Accepted freshman St. Bona students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at DeSales University (3.39)
  • St. Bona has a higher acceptance rate (81.5%) than DeSales University (78.6%)

St. Bona vs. DeSales University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Bona or DeSales University? 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 DeSales University and St. Bona.

  • The graduation rate at DeSales University is higher than Saint Bonaventure University (69% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from DeSales University earn on average $2,300 more per year than St. Bona graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $48,800)
  • DeSales University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Bona graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • DeSales University graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than St. Bona graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More St. Bona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DeSales University students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 71%)

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