St. Mary's vs. F&M

Comparable Facts

Compare St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, MD with Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Franklin and Marshall College is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (1,808 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); Franklin and Marshall College is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Franklin and Marshall College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Franklin and Marshall College 9:1.

St. Mary's vs. F&M Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or F&M? 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 F&M ($21,071 vs. $43,987).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 0.7% lower than at Franklin and Marshall College ($16,079 vs. $16,188).
• Franklin and Marshall College is 362.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $55,496 more per year; $70,794.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 125.6% higher at F&M than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $39,420 more per year; $70,794.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Franklin and Marshall College (98% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Franklin and Marshall College students is 267.6% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($41,901 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. F&M Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Franklin and Marshall College (1390) is 150 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming F&M students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 28 at St. Mary's).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Franklin and Marshall College 1310/1463.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Franklin and Marshall College 30/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; F&M - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; F&M Jan 15, 2027.
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than F&M (28.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 17.1% at F&M.

St. Mary's vs. F&M Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and F&M? 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).

• Franklin and Marshall College's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Franklin and Marshall College earn a median of about $10,400 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $1,630 lower median loan debt than F&M graduates ($20,370 vs. $22,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than F&M graduates ($210 vs. $227).
• More F&M graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.