UCSC vs. Saint Mary's College of California

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz is larger than Saint Mary's College of California based on total student enrollment (19,938 students vs. 2,734 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, CA (Small City setting); Saint Mary's College of California is in Moraga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• University of California Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 22:1; Saint Mary's College of California 10:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, UCSC 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 Santa Cruz than Saint Mary's College of California ($18,059 vs. $35,332).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College of California are 11.8% lower than at University of California Santa Cruz ($17,600 vs. $19,948).
• Saint Mary's College of California is 261.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCSC (about $41,798 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $16,005.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.1% higher at Saint Mary's College of California than at University of California Santa Cruz (about $7,598 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $50,205.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College of California than at University of California Santa Cruz (100% vs. 57%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College of California students is 86.2% larger than aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students ($42,407 vs. $22,774).

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

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC 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 UCSC.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of California Santa Cruz (1260) is 100 points higher than at Saint Mary's College of California (1160).
• Incoming UCSC 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 Santa Cruz 1160/1360; Saint Mary's College of California 1070/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Santa Cruz 25/33; Saint Mary's College of California 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCSC - Test-free; Saint Mary's College of California - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCSC Nov 30, 2026; Saint Mary's College of California Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) 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 UCSC (65.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at UCSC vs. 9.5% at Saint Mary's College of California.

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

How do outcomes compare for UCSC 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 Santa Cruz's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than Saint Mary's College of California's (61%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College of California earn a median of about $16,400 more per year than UCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,800 vs. $50,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Santa Cruz graduates have a $5,041 lower median loan debt than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($19,959 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, UCSC graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($206 vs. $258).
• More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Mary's College of California students, three years after graduation. (74% 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.