PLNU vs. Saint Marys College of California

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or Saint Marys College of California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or Saint Marys College of California 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. Saint Marys College of California comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University Saint Marys College of California College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University Saint Marys College of California
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Overview

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Location San Diego, CA Moraga, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,319 2,765
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292 #254
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu stmarys-ca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $53,732
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $53,732
Room & Board $11,800 $16,404
Avg Net Price $34,933 $32,129
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $39,139
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 3,353
Admitted 2,580 2,947
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 87.9%
Enrolled % 26.7% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 21/28
SAT Range 1170/1350 1070/1253
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Graduation Rate 72% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $66,800
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
% Men 34% 41%
% Women 66% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 46%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 23% 25%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
% In-State 70% 83%
% Out-of-State 29% 14%

Campus

PLNU Saint Marys College of California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than Saint Marys College of California based on total student enrollment (4,319 students vs. 2,765 students)

PLNU vs. Saint Marys College of California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or Saint Marys College of California?

  • Saint Marys College of California is 33% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($53,732.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33% higher at Saint Marys College of California than Point Loma Nazarene University ($53,732.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Marys College of California than PLNU ($32,129 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 39% lower than costs at Saint Marys College of California ($11,800 vs. $16,404)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University as Saint Marys College of California (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Marys College of California students is 101.5% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($39,139 vs. $19,422)

PLNU vs. Saint Marys College of California Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, PLNU or Saint Marys College of California? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Saint Marys College of California or PLNU .

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 24 points higher than at Saint Marys College of California (1124)
  • Incoming PLNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Saint Marys College of California (25)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Saint Marys College of California (3.6)
  • Saint Marys College of California has a higher acceptance rate (87.9%) than PLNU (81.9%)

PLNU vs. Saint Marys College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or Saint Marys College of California? 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 Saint Marys College of California and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than Saint Marys College of California (72% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Saint Marys College of California earn on average $13,300 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($66,800 vs. $53,500)
  • Saint Marys College of California and PLNU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Saint Marys College of California and PLNU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Marys College of California students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 71%)

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