SCU vs. Saint Marys College of California

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

SCU Saint Marys College of California
Location Santa Clara, CA Moraga, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,340 2,775
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #54 #289
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scu.edu stmarys-ca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCU Saint Marys College of California
Tuition (In State) $58,587 $55,634
Tuition (Out of State) $58,587 $55,634
Room & Board $18,984 $16,900
Avg Net Price $49,651 $31,615
Avg Grant Aid $28,375 $42,080
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

SCU Saint Marys College of California
Applied 18,843 4,308
Admitted 8,261 3,816
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 88.6%
Enrolled % 18.8% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33 21/28
SAT Range 1340/1500 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 Jan 7, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

SCU Saint Marys College of California
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

SCU Saint Marys College of California
Graduation Rate 85% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,900 $66,800
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $258

Diversity

SCU Saint Marys College of California
% Men 15% 10%
% Women 18% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 46%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 25%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

SCU Saint Marys College of California
% In-State 50% 84%
% Out-of-State 40% 13%

Campus

SCU 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 Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Clara University is larger than than Saint Marys College of California based on total student enrollment (9,340 students vs. 2,775 students)

SCU vs. Saint Marys College of California Cost Comparison

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

  • Santa Clara University is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Saint Marys College of California for in-state tuition ($58,587.00 vs. $55,634.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.3% higher at SCU than Saint Marys College of California ($58,587.00 vs. $55,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Marys College of California than SCU ($31,615 vs. $49,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Marys College of California are 12.3% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($16,900 vs. $18,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Marys College of California than Santa Clara University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Marys College of California students is 48.3% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($42,080 vs. $28,375)

SCU vs. Saint Marys College of California Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCU 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 SCU .

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 189 points higher than at Saint Marys College of California (1124)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Saint Marys College of California (25)
  • Accepted freshman SCU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Saint Marys College of California (3.6)
  • Saint Marys College of California has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than SCU (43.8%)

SCU vs. Saint Marys College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCU 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 SCU.

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than Saint Marys College of California (85% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $15,100 more per year than Saint Marys College of California graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $66,800)
  • Santa Clara University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Marys College of California graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • SCU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Marys College of California graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Marys College of California students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 71%)

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