St. Mary's vs. RPI

Comparable Facts

Compare St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, MD with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (7,040 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); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is in Troy, NY (Small City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1.

St. Mary's vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or RPI? 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 RPI ($21,071 vs. $38,887).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 11.3% lower than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,079 vs. $18,120).
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 318.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $48,783 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 104.2% higher at RPI than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $32,707 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (98% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 281.8% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($43,517 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. RPI Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 200 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming RPI 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; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; RPI - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; RPI Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than RPI (63.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 12.1% at RPI.

St. Mary's vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (84%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $31,000 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,500 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $7,130 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($20,370 vs. $27,500).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $74 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RPI graduates ($210 vs. $284).
• More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (92% 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.