UCI vs. Saint Mary's College of California

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Irvine in Irvine, CA with Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Irvine is larger than Saint Mary's College of California based on total student enrollment (37,297 students vs. 2,734 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Irvine is located in Irvine, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Saint Mary's College of California is in Moraga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• University of California Irvine is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Mary's College of California is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Irvine 19:1; Saint Mary's College of California 10:1.

UCI vs. Saint Mary's College of California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 California Irvine than Saint Mary's College of California ($15,889 vs. $35,332).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College of California are 7.3% lower than at University of California Irvine ($17,600 vs. $18,991).
• Saint Mary's College of California is 267.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCI (about $42,081 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $15,722.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.8% higher at Saint Mary's College of California than at University of California Irvine (about $7,881 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $49,922.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College of California than at University of California Irvine (100% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College of California students is 83.5% larger than aid received by University of California Irvine students ($42,407 vs. $23,110).

UCI vs. Saint Mary's College of California Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCI or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 Saint Mary's College of California and UCI.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of California Irvine (1330) is 170 points higher than at Saint Mary's College of California (1160).
• Incoming UCI students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 24 at Saint Mary's College of California).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Irvine 1230/1430; Saint Mary's College of California 1070/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Irvine 26/33; Saint Mary's College of California 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCI - Test-free; Saint Mary's College of California - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCI Nov 30, 2026; Saint Mary's College of California Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Saint Mary's College of California (3.6).
• Saint Mary's College of California has a higher acceptance rate (86.5%) than UCI (28.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.2% at UCI vs. 9.5% at Saint Mary's College of California.

UCI vs. Saint Mary's College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UCI and Saint Mary's College of California? 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).

• University of California Irvine's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than Saint Mary's College of California's (61%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College of California earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than UCI graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,800 vs. $61,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Irvine graduates have a $8,000 lower median loan debt than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($17,000 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, UCI graduates have an estimated $83 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($175 vs. $258).
• More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Mary's College of California students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 71%)

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.