College of Saint Mary vs. UW-La Crosse

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE with University of Wisconsin La Crosse in La Crosse, WI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Wisconsin La Crosse is larger than College of Saint Mary based on total student enrollment (10,446 students vs. 786 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Saint Mary is located in Omaha, NE (Large City setting); University of Wisconsin La Crosse is in La Crosse, WI (Small City setting).
• College of Saint Mary is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Wisconsin La Crosse is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Saint Mary 8:1; University of Wisconsin La Crosse 20:1.

College of Saint Mary vs. UW-La Crosse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Saint Mary or UW-La Crosse? 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 Wisconsin La Crosse than College of Saint Mary ($14,712 vs. $17,078).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 4.2% lower than at College of Saint Mary ($8,702 vs. $9,084).
• College of Saint Mary is 143.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UW-La Crosse (about $14,440 more per year; $24,510.00 vs. $10,070.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.6% higher at College of Saint Mary than at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (about $4,993 more per year; $24,510.00 vs. $19,517.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Saint Mary than at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (100% vs. 44%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Mary students is 318.9% larger than aid received by University of Wisconsin La Crosse students ($18,847 vs. $4,499).

College of Saint Mary vs. UW-La Crosse Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Saint Mary or UW-La Crosse? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UW-La Crosse and College of Saint Mary.

• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresUniversity of Wisconsin La Crosse 22/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Saint Mary - Test optional; UW-La Crosse - Test optional.
• Enrolled freshman UW-La Crosse students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at College of Saint Mary (3.4).
• UW-La Crosse has a higher acceptance rate (75.5%) than College of Saint Mary (44.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 35.3% at College of Saint Mary vs. 43.2% at UW-La Crosse.

College of Saint Mary vs. UW-La Crosse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Saint Mary and UW-La Crosse? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• University of Wisconsin La Crosse's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than College of Saint Mary's (30%).
• Graduates from University of Wisconsin La Crosse earn a median of about $8,200 more per year than College of Saint Mary graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,500 vs. $41,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Wisconsin La Crosse graduates have a $2,750 lower median loan debt than College of Saint Mary graduates ($23,250 vs. $26,000).
• Among borrowers, UW-La Crosse graduates have an estimated $28 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of Saint Mary graduates ($240 vs. $268).
• More UW-La Crosse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Saint Mary students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 59%)

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.