St. Mary's College vs. UNI

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Northern Iowa is larger than St. Mary's College based on total student enrollment (9,278 students vs. 1,601 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting); University of Northern Iowa is in Cedar Falls, IA (Small City setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Northern Iowa is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; University of Northern Iowa 18:1.

St. Mary's College vs. UNI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or UNI? 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 Northern Iowa than St. Mary's College ($16,437 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 30% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($9,986 vs. $14,260).
• Saint Mary's College is 435.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNI (about $43,294 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $9,936.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 145.2% higher at St. Mary's College than at University of Northern Iowa (about $31,518 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $21,712.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 560.7% larger than aid received by University of Northern Iowa students ($38,748 vs. $5,865).

St. Mary's College vs. UNI Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 80 points higher than at UNI (1150).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 22 at UNI).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; University of Northern Iowa 1020/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; University of Northern Iowa 19/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; UNI - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UNI (3.61).
• UNI has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 31.1% at UNI.

St. Mary's College vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and UNI? 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).

• Saint Mary's College's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than University of Northern Iowa's (67%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than UNI graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $47,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Northern Iowa graduates have a $6,375 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($20,625 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, UNI graduates have an estimated $66 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($213 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 72%)

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.