St. Mary's vs. VWC

Comparable Facts

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

Virginia Wesleyan University is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (1,853 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 Wesleyan University is in Virginia Beach, VA (Large City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Virginia Wesleyan University 15:1.

St. Mary's vs. VWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or VWC? 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 VWC ($21,071 vs. $21,267).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Wesleyan University are 25.8% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($11,930 vs. $16,079).
• Virginia Wesleyan University is 145.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $22,202 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 19.5% higher at VWC than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (about $6,126 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $31,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Virginia Wesleyan University than at St. Mary's College of Maryland (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Wesleyan University students is 162.5% larger than aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students ($29,923 vs. $11,398).

St. Mary's vs. VWC Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Wesleyan University (1250) is 10 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 28) as students at VWC (28).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Virginia Wesleyan University 1140/1350.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Virginia Wesleyan University 28/29.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; VWC - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at VWC (3.39).
• VWC has a higher acceptance rate (72.9%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 11.9% at VWC.

St. Mary's vs. VWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and VWC? 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 Wesleyan University's (48%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than VWC graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $41,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $6,630 lower median loan debt than VWC graduates ($20,370 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VWC graduates ($210 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VWC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 57%)

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.