Saint Marys College of California vs. St. Ambrose University

Should I go to Saint Marys College of California or Saint Ambrose University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Saint Marys College of California or St. Ambrose 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Saint Marys College of California vs. Saint Ambrose University comparison
Saint Marys College of California Saint Ambrose University College 3 College 4
Saint Marys College of California Saint Ambrose University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Location Moraga, CA Davenport, IA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,775 2,703
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #289 #437
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stmarys-ca.edu sau.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Tuition (In State) $55,634 $35,318
Tuition (Out of State) $55,634 $35,318
Room & Board $16,900 $12,348
Avg Net Price $31,615 $23,578
Avg Grant Aid $42,080 $26,559
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,308 3,456
Admitted 3,816 2,534
Acceptance Rate 88.6% 73.3%
Enrolled % 13.2% 16.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 20/27
SAT Range 1070/1253 1020/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Graduation Rate 61% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,800 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,764
Median Loan Payment $258 $266

Diversity

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
% Men 10% 7%
% Women 16% 15%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 80%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 25% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
% In-State 84% 37%
% Out-of-State 13% 60%

Campus

Saint Marys College of California St. Ambrose University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Marys College of California is larger than than St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (2,775 students vs. 2,703 students)

Saint Marys College of California vs. St. Ambrose University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Marys College of California or St. Ambrose University ?

  • Saint Marys College of California is 57.5% more expensive to attend than St. Ambrose University for in-state tuition ($55,634.00 vs. $35,318.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.5% higher at Saint Marys College of California than Saint Ambrose University ($55,634.00 vs. $35,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Ambrose University than Saint Marys College of California ($23,578 vs. $31,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Ambrose University are 36.9% lower than costs at Saint Marys College of California ($12,348 vs. $16,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Saint Marys College of California as Saint Ambrose University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Marys College of California students is 58.4% larger than aid received Saint Ambrose University ($42,080 vs. $26,559)

Saint Marys College of California vs. St. Ambrose University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Marys College of California (1124) is 74 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming Saint Marys College of California students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Ambrose University (23)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Marys College of California students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • Saint Marys College of California has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than St. Ambrose University (73.3%)

Saint Marys College of California vs. St. Ambrose University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Marys College of California or St. Ambrose 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 St. Ambrose University and Saint Marys College of California.

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than Saint Marys College of California (62% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Saint Marys College of California earn on average $18,500 more per year than St. Ambrose University graduates after ten years. ($66,800 vs. $48,300)
  • Saint Marys College of California students graduate with a $764 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,764)
  • Saint Marys College of California graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($258 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Marys College of California students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 71%)

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