Fairfield University vs. St. Mary's

Should I go to Fairfield University or St Mary's College of Maryland? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fairfield University or St. Mary's is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Fairfield University vs. St Mary's College of Maryland comparison
Fairfield University St Mary's College of Maryland College 3 College 4
Fairfield University St Mary's College of Maryland
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Overview

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Location Fairfield, CT St. Mary's City, MD
Setting Large Suburban Distant Rural
Enrollment 6,019 1,520
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #138 #143
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairfield.edu smcm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Tuition (In State) $53,630 $12,116
Tuition (Out of State) $53,630 $28,192
Room & Board $16,750 $14,146
Avg Net Price $46,065 $20,714
Avg Grant Aid $25,279 $10,265
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 94%

Admission

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,359 2,934
Admitted 6,971 2,268
Acceptance Rate 52.2% 77.3%
Enrolled % 19.1% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/31 28/30
SAT Range 1240/1370 1130/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (6%)

Outcomes

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Graduation Rate 82% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,100 $51,500
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,370
Median Loan Payment $279 $210

Diversity

Fairfield University St. Mary's
% Men 41% 41%
% Women 59% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 71%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

Fairfield University St. Mary's
% In-State 15% 87%
% Out-of-State 84% 12%

Campus

Fairfield University St. Mary's
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Fairfield University is larger than than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (6,019 students vs. 1,520 students)

Fairfield University vs. St. Mary's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairfield University or St. Mary's?

  • Fairfield University is 342.6% more expensive to attend than St. Mary's for in-state tuition ($53,630.00 vs. $12,116.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.2% higher at Fairfield University than St Mary's College of Maryland ($53,630.00 vs. $28,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Mary's College of Maryland than Fairfield University ($20,714 vs. $46,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Mary's College of Maryland are 18.4% lower than costs at Fairfield University ($14,146 vs. $16,750)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Fairfield University as St Mary's College of Maryland (94% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairfield University students is 146.3% larger than aid received St Mary's College of Maryland ($25,279 vs. $10,265)

Fairfield University vs. St. Mary's Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fairfield University or St. Mary's? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St. Mary's or Fairfield University .

  • Accepted freshman Fairfield University students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at St. Mary's (3.45)
  • St. Mary's has a higher acceptance rate (77.3%) than Fairfield University (52.2%)

Fairfield University vs. St. Mary's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairfield University or St. Mary's? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between St. Mary's and Fairfield University.

  • The graduation rate at Fairfield University is higher than St Mary's College of Maryland (82% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Fairfield University earn on average $25,600 more per year than St. Mary's graduates after ten years. ($77,100 vs. $51,500)
  • St Mary's College of Maryland students graduate with a $6,630 lower median federal student loan debt than Fairfield University graduates. ($20,370 vs. $27,000)
  • St. Mary's graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than Fairfield University graduates. ($210 vs. $279)
  • More Fairfield University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Mary's students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/