St. Mary's vs. Villanova

Comparable Facts

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

Villanova University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (10,041 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); Villanova University is in Villanova, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Villanova University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Villanova University 10:1.

St. Mary's vs. Villanova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Villanova? 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 Villanova ($21,071 vs. $37,201).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 9.1% lower than at Villanova University ($16,079 vs. $17,694).
• Villanova University is 343% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $52,478 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 116% higher at Villanova than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $36,402 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Villanova University (98% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Villanova University students is 317.7% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($47,609 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. Villanova Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Villanova University (1450) is 210 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming Villanova students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (33 vs. 28 at St. Mary's).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Villanova University 1395/1510.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Villanova University 32/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Villanova - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; Villanova Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Villanova students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Villanova (27%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 27.7% at Villanova.

St. Mary's vs. Villanova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Villanova University's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than St. Mary's College of Maryland's (79%).
• Graduates from Villanova University earn a median of about $33,600 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($85,100 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $6,127 lower median loan debt than Villanova graduates ($20,370 vs. $26,497).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $63 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Villanova graduates ($210 vs. $273).
• More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (90% 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.