St. Mary's vs. Saint Joseph's University

Comparable Facts

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

Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (7,159 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); Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia 11:1.

St. Mary's vs. Saint Joseph's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University ($21,071 vs. $31,205).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 1% lower than at Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia ($16,079 vs. $16,240).
• Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is 248.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $37,962 more per year; $53,260.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 69.8% higher at Saint Joseph's University than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $21,886 more per year; $53,260.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia students is 224.3% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($36,964 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Saint Joseph's University Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia (1260) is 20 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming Saint Joseph's University students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 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; Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia 1170/1350.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia 28/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Saint Joseph's University - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Saint Joseph's University Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Saint Joseph's University students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• Saint Joseph's University has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 14.1% at Saint Joseph's University.

St. Mary's vs. Saint Joseph's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia's (76%).
• Graduates from Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia earn a median of about $12,500 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,000 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $2,638 lower median loan debt than Saint Joseph's University graduates ($20,370 vs. $23,008).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Saint Joseph's University graduates ($210 vs. $237).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Joseph's University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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.