St. Mary's College vs. Sweet Briar College

Comparable Facts

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

Saint Mary's College is larger than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (1,601 students vs. 444 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

St. Mary's College vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College than St. Mary's College ($21,322 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College are 6.4% lower than at Sweet Briar College ($14,260 vs. $15,230).
• Saint Mary's College is 103.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sweet Briar College (about $27,070 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $26,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 103.5% higher at St. Mary's College than at Sweet Briar College (about $27,070 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $26,160.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at Sweet Briar College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 73.1% larger than aid received by Sweet Briar College students ($38,748 vs. $22,387).

St. Mary's College vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's College or Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College and St. Mary's College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 20 points higher than at Sweet Briar College (1210).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; Sweet Briar College 1100/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Sweet Briar College - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Sweet Briar College (3.54).
• St. Mary's College has a higher acceptance rate (76%) than Sweet Briar College (75.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 13.2% at Sweet Briar College.

St. Mary's College vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College's (70%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn a median of about $9,400 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $41,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sweet Briar College and St. Mary's College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 72%)

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.