St. Mary's vs. Lehigh

Comparable Facts

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

Lehigh University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (7,692 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); Lehigh University is in Bethlehem, PA (Small City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Lehigh University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Lehigh University 10:1.

St. Mary's vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Lehigh? 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 Lehigh ($21,071 vs. $34,154).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 6.6% lower than at Lehigh University ($16,079 vs. $17,220).
• Lehigh University is 324.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $49,682 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 107.1% higher at Lehigh than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $33,606 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Lehigh University (98% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 310% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($46,731 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Lehigh Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Lehigh University (1440) is 200 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming Lehigh 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; Lehigh University 1370/1500.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Lehigh University 31/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Lehigh - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Lehigh Jan 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Lehigh (25.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 28.4% at Lehigh.

St. Mary's vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Lehigh University's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Lehigh University earn a median of about $37,700 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,200 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $3,886 lower median loan debt than Lehigh graduates ($20,370 vs. $24,256).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lehigh graduates ($210 vs. $250).
• More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (89% 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.