St. Mary's vs. Elon

Comparable Facts

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

Elon University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (7,239 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); Elon University is in Elon, NC (Small Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Elon University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Elon University 11:1.

St. Mary's vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Elon? 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 St. Mary's College of Maryland than Elon ($21,071 vs. $44,440).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elon University are 6.8% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,985 vs. $16,079).
• Elon University is 207% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $31,660 more per year; $46,958.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 49.7% higher at Elon than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $15,584 more per year; $46,958.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Elon University (98% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 56.8% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($17,867 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Elon Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 30 points higher than at Elon (1210).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Elon).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Elon University 1130/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Elon University 23/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Elon - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Elon Jan 10, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Elon (66.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 13.4% at Elon.

St. Mary's vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Elon University's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Elon University earn a median of about $4,700 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $2,880 lower median loan debt than Elon graduates ($20,370 vs. $23,250).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Elon graduates ($210 vs. $240).
• More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)

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.