St. Mary's vs. NC State

Comparable Facts

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

North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (38,464 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); North Carolina State University at Raleigh is in Raleigh, NC (Large City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; North Carolina State University at Raleigh 15:1.

St. Mary's vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or NC State? 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 North Carolina State University at Raleigh than St. Mary's ($15,522 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 10.9% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,332 vs. $16,079).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 73.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than NC State (about $6,499 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $8,799.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.7% higher at NC State than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $1,473 more per year; $32,847.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (98% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 2.4% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($11,675 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. NC State Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1390) is 150 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming NC State students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 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; North Carolina State University at Raleigh 1300/1470.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; North Carolina State University at Raleigh 28/32.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; NC State - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; NC State Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than NC State (41.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 31.8% at NC State.

St. Mary's vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and NC State? 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 North Carolina State University at Raleigh's (72%).
• Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($57,200 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $412 lower median loan debt than NC State graduates ($20,370 vs. $20,782).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NC State graduates ($210 vs. $214).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

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.