St. Mary's vs. TU

Comparable Facts

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

Towson University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (19,401 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); Towson University is in Towson, MD (Small City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Towson University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Towson University 14:1.

St. Mary's vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or TU? 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 Towson University than St. Mary's ($16,653 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 1.1% lower than at Towson University ($16,079 vs. $16,260).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 30.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than TU (about $3,570 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $11,728.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.2% higher at St. Mary's than at Towson University (about $1,554 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $29,820.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Towson University (98% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 3.7% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($11,820 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. TU Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 150 points higher than at TU (1090).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 23 at TU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Towson University 950/1235.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Towson University 19/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; TU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; TU Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• TU has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 18.2% at TU.

St. Mary's vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and TU? 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 Towson University's (64%).
• Graduates from Towson University earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,500 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Towson University graduates have a $2,620 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's graduates ($17,750 vs. $20,370).
• Among borrowers, TU graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's graduates ($183 vs. $210).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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.