St. Mary's vs. UNCW

Comparable Facts

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

University of North Carolina Wilmington is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (18,848 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); University of North Carolina Wilmington is in Wilmington, NC (Midsize City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of North Carolina Wilmington is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; University of North Carolina Wilmington 17:1.

St. Mary's vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or UNCW? 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 University of North Carolina Wilmington than St. Mary's ($18,976 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina Wilmington are 11.3% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,268 vs. $16,079).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 110.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNCW (about $8,021 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $7,277.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.9% higher at St. Mary's than at University of North Carolina Wilmington (about $7,222 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $24,152.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at University of North Carolina Wilmington (98% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students is 70.8% larger than aid received by University of North Carolina Wilmington students ($11,398 vs. $6,674).

St. Mary's vs. UNCW Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of North Carolina Wilmington (1290) is 50 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 26 at UNCW).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; University of North Carolina Wilmington 1230/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; University of North Carolina Wilmington 24/29.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; UNCW - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; UNCW Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UNCW students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than UNCW (64.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 21% at UNCW.

St. Mary's vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and UNCW? 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 University of North Carolina Wilmington's (67%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $6,800 more per year than UNCW graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $44,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $130 lower median loan debt than UNCW graduates ($20,370 vs. $20,500).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UNCW graduates ($210 vs. $211).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 64%)

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.