UMBC vs. St. Mary's

Comparable Facts

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

University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (13,906 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Maryland Baltimore County is located in Baltimore, MD (Large Suburban setting); St. Mary's College of Maryland is in St. Mary's City, MD (Distant Rural setting).
• University of Maryland Baltimore County is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Maryland Baltimore County 17:1; St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1.

UMBC vs. St. Mary's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or St. Mary's? 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 Maryland Baltimore County than St. Mary's ($18,770 vs. $21,071).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 5.8% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($15,146 vs. $16,079).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is 15.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMBC (about $2,042 more per year; $15,298.00 vs. $13,256.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.3% higher at St. Mary's than at University of Maryland Baltimore County (about $99 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $31,275.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at University of Maryland Baltimore County (98% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students is 11.7% larger than aid received by University of Maryland Baltimore County students ($11,398 vs. $10,203).

UMBC vs. St. Mary's Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1330) is 90 points higher than at St. Mary's (1240).
• Incoming UMBC students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 28) as students at St. Mary's (28).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Maryland Baltimore County 1240/1420; St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Maryland Baltimore County 25/31; St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UMBC - Test optional; St. Mary's - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: UMBC Feb 1, 2027; St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at St. Mary's (3.45).
• UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (72.4%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.6% at UMBC vs. 17.3% at St. Mary's.

UMBC vs. St. Mary's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UMBC and St. Mary's? 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 University of Maryland Baltimore County's (57%).
• Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn a median of about $8,000 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,500 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $827 lower median loan debt than UMBC graduates ($20,370 vs. $21,197).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UMBC graduates ($210 vs. $219).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 67%)

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.