St. Mary's vs. VCU

Comparable Facts

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

Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (28,464 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); Virginia Commonwealth University is in Richmond, VA (Midsize City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Virginia Commonwealth University 17:1.

St. Mary's vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or VCU? 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 VCU ($21,071 vs. $26,836).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Mary's College of Maryland are 11.9% lower than at Virginia Commonwealth University ($16,079 vs. $18,254).
• Virginia Commonwealth University is 10.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $1,647 more per year; $16,945.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.8% higher at VCU than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $8,735 more per year; $40,109.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Virginia Commonwealth University (98% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 24.5% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($14,186 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. VCU Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 100 points higher than at VCU (1140).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 26 at VCU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Virginia Commonwealth University 1010/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Virginia Commonwealth University 22/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; VCU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027; VCU Jan 18, 2027.
• Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• VCU has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 21.6% at VCU.

St. Mary's vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and VCU? 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 Virginia Commonwealth University's (53%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $4,000 more per year than VCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $2,880 lower median loan debt than VCU graduates ($20,370 vs. $23,250).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VCU graduates ($210 vs. $240).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 56%)

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.