St. Mary's vs. McDaniel College

Comparable Facts

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

McDaniel College is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (2,868 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); McDaniel College is in Westminster, MD (Small Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. McDaniel College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; McDaniel College 13:1.

St. Mary's vs. McDaniel College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or McDaniel 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 McDaniel College ($21,071 vs. $24,497).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDaniel College are 19.3% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($12,974 vs. $16,079).
• McDaniel College is 240.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $36,783 more per year; $52,081.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 66% higher at McDaniel College than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $20,707 more per year; $52,081.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at McDaniel College than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 257.3% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($40,721 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. McDaniel College Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; McDaniel College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• McDaniel College has a higher acceptance rate (77.9%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 13.7% at McDaniel College.

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

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and McDaniel 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 McDaniel College's (74%).
• Graduates from McDaniel College earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,400 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $6,630 lower median loan debt than McDaniel College graduates ($20,370 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than McDaniel College graduates ($210 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McDaniel College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 81%)

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.