St. Mary's vs. Lafayette College

Comparable Facts

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

Lafayette College is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (2,775 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); Lafayette College is in Easton, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Lafayette College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Lafayette College 10:1.

St. Mary's vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Lafayette 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 St. Mary's College of Maryland than Lafayette College ($21,071 vs. $38,442).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 19.1% lower than at Lafayette College ($16,079 vs. $19,866).
• Lafayette College is 327.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $50,100 more per year; $65,398.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 108.4% higher at Lafayette College than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $34,024 more per year; $65,398.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Lafayette College (98% vs. 61%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 292.2% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($44,707 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Lafayette College Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Lafayette College (1430) is 190 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming Lafayette College students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 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; Lafayette College 1350/1500.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Lafayette College 31/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Lafayette College - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Lafayette College Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Lafayette College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Lafayette College (31.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 21.8% at Lafayette College.

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

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

• Lafayette College's six-year graduation rate (88%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Lafayette College earn a median of about $29,500 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($81,000 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $5,630 lower median loan debt than Lafayette College graduates ($20,370 vs. $26,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $58 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lafayette College graduates ($210 vs. $268).
• More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (91% 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.