The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Saint Mary's College of California

The Catholic University of America and Saint Mary's College of California, while both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, providing a more diverse and vibrant campus life. Saint Mary's College of California, nestled in the picturesque San Francisco Bay Area, offers a more intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes and a strong focus on undergraduate research. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details on acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
The Catholic University of America logo

The Catholic University of America

Saint Mary's College of California logo

Saint Mary's College of California

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Moraga, California
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 88.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.0% 70.1%
Application fees $60
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 5,895 3,523
Total number of admissions given out 5,070 2,469
Admitted students who chose to enroll 691 421
Yield rate 13.6% 17.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $74,126 $71,116
Average net price $35,520 $25,022
Tuition $51,040 $51,568
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,220

Meal plan: $6,800
$16,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $31,915
100.0%
Average amount $37,096
Students receiving federal student loan 56.0%
Average amount $5,308
75.0%
Average amount $5,473
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,405
3.0%
Average amount $19,233

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,929
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
2,199
Men 42.0% Women 58.0%
Graduate students 2,130
Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
966
Men 35.5% Women 64.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 13.9%
International students 8.3% 2.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,985 1,522
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Washington Colorado Oregon Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.7% 73.1%
Dropout rate 26.2% 26.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,058
  • Year 2: $100,690
  • Year 3: $108,981
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,312
  • Year 2: $89,092
  • Year 3: $98,232
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,088
  • Year 2: $73,769
  • Year 3: $83,282
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,128
  • Year 2: $64,162
  • Year 3: $80,941
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,938
  • Year 2: $53,984
  • Year 3: $77,885
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,277
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $77,782
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,219
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $77,474
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,927
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $74,919
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $71,180
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,697
  • Year 2: $63,377
  • Year 3: $66,355
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,339
  • Year 2: $108,331
  • Year 3: $119,946
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,181
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $87,697
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $86,536
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,207
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $72,426
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,833
  • Year 2: $61,814
  • Year 3: $68,615
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,015
  • Year 2: $54,996
  • Year 3: $67,476
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,013
  • Year 2: $57,705
  • Year 3: $61,957
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,519
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $60,193
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,458
  • Year 2: $52,562
  • Year 3: $54,948
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,425
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $50,097

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