St. Mary's College vs. Northwest University

Should I go to Saint Mary's College or Northwest University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Mary's College or Northwest 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

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Purdue Xavier University of Dayton George Fox University Hope College Bethel College-Mishawaka Butler Whitworth University Loyola Kentucky Marquette University Dominican
Saint Mary's College vs. Northwest University comparison
Saint Mary's College Northwest University College 3 College 4
Saint Mary's College Northwest University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Location Notre Dame, IN Kirkland, WA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,518 999
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #167
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Assemblies of God Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website saintmarys.edu northwestu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Tuition (In State) $50,350 $35,535
Tuition (Out of State) $50,350 $35,535
Room & Board $13,850 $10,648
Avg Net Price $30,389 $25,917
Avg Grant Aid $35,270 $21,864
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,377 586
Admitted 1,928 516
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 88.1%
Enrolled % 21.7% 29.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 24/29
SAT Range 1100/1310 1040/1325
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (23%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Graduation Rate 79% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $41,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,532
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 6% 21%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 69%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
% In-State 34% 79%
% Out-of-State 64% 18%

Campus

 St. Mary's College Northwest University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Mary's College is larger than than Northwest University based on total student enrollment (1,518 students vs. 999 students)

St. Mary's College vs. Northwest University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Northwest University?

  • Saint Mary's College is 41.7% more expensive to attend than Northwest University for in-state tuition ($50,350.00 vs. $35,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.7% higher at St. Mary's College than Northwest University ($50,350.00 vs. $35,535.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwest University than St. Mary's College ($25,917 vs. $30,389)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest University are 30.1% lower than costs at Saint Mary's College ($10,648 vs. $13,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Mary's College than Northwest University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 61.3% larger than aid received Northwest University ($35,270 vs. $21,864)

St. Mary's College vs. Northwest University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Mary's College (1125) is 129 points higher than at Northwest University (996)
  • Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northwest University (22)
  • Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Northwest University (3.41)
  • Northwest University has a higher acceptance rate (88.1%) than St. Mary's College (81.1%)

St. Mary's College vs. Northwest University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Mary's College or Northwest 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 Northwest University and St. Mary's College.

  • The graduation rate at St. Mary's College is higher than Northwest University (79% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn on average $9,700 more per year than Northwest University graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $41,400)
  • Northwest University students graduate with a $5,468 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates. ($21,532 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwest University graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than St. Mary's College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwest University students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 62%)

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