St. Mary's College vs. Saint Benedict

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with College of Saint Benedict in Saint Joseph, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Saint Mary's College is larger than Saint Benedict based on total student enrollment (1,601 students vs. 1,429 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting); College of Saint Benedict is in Saint Joseph, MN (Small Suburban setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. College of Saint Benedict is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; College of Saint Benedict 11:1.

St. Mary's College vs. Saint Benedict Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Saint Benedict? 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 Saint Mary's College than Saint Benedict ($27,865 vs. $28,400).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Saint Benedict are 12% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($12,550 vs. $14,260).
• College of Saint Benedict is 4.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's College (about $2,526 more per year; $55,756.00 vs. $53,230.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.7% higher at Saint Benedict than at Saint Mary's College (about $2,526 more per year; $55,756.00 vs. $53,230.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College as at College of Saint Benedict (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Benedict students is 3.4% larger than aid received by Saint Mary's College students ($40,048 vs. $38,748).

St. Mary's College vs. Saint Benedict Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's College or Saint Benedict? 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 Saint Benedict and St. Mary's College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 90 points higher than at Saint Benedict (1140).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 23 at Saint Benedict).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; College of Saint Benedict 1048/1233.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; College of Saint Benedict 20/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Saint Benedict - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Saint Benedict (3.72).
• Saint Benedict has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 21.6% at Saint Benedict.

St. Mary's College vs. Saint Benedict Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Saint Benedict? 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).

• College of Saint Benedict's six-year graduation rate (81%) is higher than Saint Mary's College's (79%).
• Graduates from College of Saint Benedict earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than St. Mary's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,700 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of Saint Benedict graduates have a $657 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($26,343 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Saint Benedict graduates have an estimated $7 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($272 vs. $279).
• More Saint Benedict graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 85%)

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.