St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with Penn State Erie Behrend College in Erie, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than St. Mary's College based on total student enrollment (3,336 students vs. 1,601 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Erie Behrend College is in Erie, PA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Erie Behrend College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; Penn State Erie Behrend College 12:1.

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Penn State Erie Behrend College than St. Mary's College ($23,764 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College are 1.5% lower than at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($14,260 vs. $14,474).
• Saint Mary's College is 233.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Erie-Behrend College (about $37,258 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 97.5% higher at St. Mary's College than at Penn State Erie Behrend College (about $26,272 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 260.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Erie Behrend College students ($38,748 vs. $10,760).

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College and St. Mary's College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 10 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1220).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 28) as students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (28).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; Penn State Erie Behrend College 1120/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; Penn State Erie Behrend College 25/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Penn State Erie-Behrend College - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49).
• Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (96.8%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 14.5% at Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Penn State Erie Behrend College's (66%).
• Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than St. Mary's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Erie Behrend College graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

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.