St. Mary's vs. Fisher

Comparable Facts

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

St. John Fisher University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (3,693 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); St. John Fisher University is in Rochester, NY (Large Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. St. John Fisher University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; St. John Fisher University 11:1.

St. Mary's vs. Fisher Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Fisher? 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 Fisher ($21,071 vs. $30,540).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. John Fisher University are 7.3% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,908 vs. $16,079).
• St. John Fisher University is 169.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $25,892 more per year; $41,190.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.3% higher at Fisher than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $9,816 more per year; $41,190.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. John Fisher University than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. John Fisher University students is 115.2% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($24,530 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Fisher Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's or Fisher? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Fisher and St. Mary's.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 30 points higher than at Fisher (1210).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Fisher).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; St. John Fisher University 1120/1300.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; St. John Fisher University 23/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Fisher - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Fisher 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 Fisher (66.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 20.3% at Fisher.

St. Mary's vs. Fisher Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and Fisher? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• St. Mary's College of Maryland's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than St. John Fisher University's (73%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $700 more per year than Fisher graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $50,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $3,530 lower median loan debt than Fisher graduates ($20,370 vs. $23,900).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $37 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fisher graduates ($210 vs. $247).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fisher students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 74%)

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.