St. Mary's vs. Catawba College

Comparable Facts

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

St. Mary's College of Maryland is larger than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,630 students vs. 1,376 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); Catawba College is in Salisbury, NC (Distant Town setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Catawba College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Catawba College 13:1.

St. Mary's vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Catawba 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 Catawba College than St. Mary's ($18,447 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 15.6% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($13,565 vs. $16,079).
• Catawba College is 124.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $19,002 more per year; $34,300.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.3% higher at Catawba College than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $2,926 more per year; $34,300.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Catawba College than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 170.3% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($30,808 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Catawba College Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 70 points higher than at Catawba College (1170).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 21 at Catawba College).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Catawba College 1030/1300.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Catawba College 17/25.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Catawba College - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Catawba College Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 12.5% at Catawba College.

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

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

• St. Mary's College of Maryland's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Catawba College's (54%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $9,500 more per year than Catawba College graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $42,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $4,630 lower median loan debt than Catawba College graduates ($20,370 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $48 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Catawba College graduates ($210 vs. $258).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 60%)

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.