St. Mary's vs. WCU

Comparable Facts

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

West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (17,171 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); West Chester University of Pennsylvania is in West Chester, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 20:1.

St. Mary's vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or WCU? 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 WCU ($21,071 vs. $22,546).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 7.8% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,828 vs. $16,079).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 42% more expensive for in-state tuition than WCU (about $4,523 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $10,775.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.8% higher at St. Mary's than at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (about $8,775 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $22,599.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (98% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students is 99.6% larger than aid received by West Chester University of Pennsylvania students ($11,398 vs. $5,709).

St. Mary's vs. WCU Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 50 points higher than at WCU (1190).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 26 at WCU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 1100/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 24/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; WCU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at WCU (3.43).
• WCU has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 22.4% at WCU.

St. Mary's vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and WCU? 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 West Chester University of Pennsylvania's (68%).
• Graduates from St. Mary's College of Maryland earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than WCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,500 vs. $49,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $3,130 lower median loan debt than WCU graduates ($20,370 vs. $23,500).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WCU graduates ($210 vs. $242).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 75%)

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.