St. Mary's College vs. Iowa

Comparable Facts

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

University of Iowa is larger than St. Mary's College based on total student enrollment (30,779 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); University of Iowa is in Iowa City, IA (Small City setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Iowa is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; University of Iowa 16:1.

St. Mary's College vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Iowa? 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 University of Iowa than St. Mary's College ($21,765 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 9.4% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($12,920 vs. $14,260).
• Saint Mary's College is 371.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Iowa (about $41,947 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $11,283.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 59.5% higher at St. Mary's College than at University of Iowa (about $19,859 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $33,371.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at University of Iowa (100% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 292.8% larger than aid received by University of Iowa students ($38,748 vs. $9,865).

St. Mary's College vs. Iowa Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is the same as at Iowa (1230).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 24 at Iowa).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; University of Iowa 1130/1330.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; University of Iowa 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Iowa - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Iowa May 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Iowa (3.81).
• Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 22.4% at Iowa.

St. Mary's College vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Iowa? 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 University of Iowa's (71%).
• Graduates from University of Iowa earn a median of about $8,700 more per year than St. Mary's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,800 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Iowa graduates have a $5,384 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($21,616 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Iowa graduates have an estimated $56 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($223 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 70%)

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.