St. Mary's College vs. Luther- Norse

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with Luther College in Decorah, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Saint Mary's College is larger than Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (1,601 students vs. 1,384 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting); Luther College is in Decorah, IA (Remote Town setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Luther College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; Luther College 9:1.

St. Mary's College vs. Luther- Norse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther College than St. Mary's College ($24,511 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 19.1% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($11,530 vs. $14,260).
• Saint Mary's College is 2.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Luther- Norse (about $1,110 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $52,120.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.1% higher at St. Mary's College than at Luther College (about $1,110 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $52,120.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College as at Luther College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 5.6% larger than aid received by Saint Mary's College students ($40,917 vs. $38,748).

St. Mary's College vs. Luther- Norse Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's College or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther- Norse and St. Mary's College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Luther College (1240) is 10 points higher than at St. Mary's College (1230).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Luther- Norse).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; Luther College 1078/1406.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; Luther College 22/29.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Luther- Norse - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65).
• St. Mary's College has a higher acceptance rate (76%) than Luther- Norse (71.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 19.9% at Luther- Norse.

St. Mary's College vs. Luther- Norse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Luther- Norse? 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).

• Saint Mary's College's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Luther College's (69%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than Luther- Norse graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $50,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Luther College and St. Mary's College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Luther College and St. Mary's College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Luther- Norse students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 82%)

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.