St. Mary's vs. ASU

Comparable Facts

Compare St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, MD with Appalachian State University in Boone, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Appalachian State University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (21,570 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• St. Mary's College of Maryland is located in St. Mary's City, MD (Distant Rural setting); Appalachian State University is in Boone, NC (Distant Town setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Appalachian State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Appalachian State University 16:1.

St. Mary's vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or ASU? 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 Appalachian State University than St. Mary's ($14,978 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Appalachian State University are 20% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($12,868 vs. $16,079).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 101.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ASU (about $7,719 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $7,579.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.4% higher at St. Mary's than at Appalachian State University (about $6,162 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $25,212.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Appalachian State University (98% vs. 46%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students is 42.2% larger than aid received by Appalachian State University students ($11,398 vs. $8,014).

St. Mary's vs. ASU Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 40 points higher than at ASU (1200).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 24 at ASU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Appalachian State University 1120/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Appalachian State University 21/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; ASU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; ASU Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• ASU has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 18.2% at ASU.

St. Mary's vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and ASU? 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).

• St. Mary's College of Maryland's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Appalachian State University's (65%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than ASU graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $41,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $130 lower median loan debt than ASU graduates ($20,370 vs. $20,500).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ASU graduates ($210 vs. $211).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 74%)

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.