St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland · Public · 68.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 73/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
St. Mary's College of Maryland scores 73 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. In-state tuition of $15,298 contrasts with out-of-state tuition of $31,374, and the net price of $18,441 reflects a meaningful aid program - particularly for low-income students, who pay just $2,889 per year. The 70% completion rate and $38,600 average 6-year earnings are the moderate anchors of the score. The 8.5-year payback period is longer than you'd want, but debt of $21,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.544 are manageable. Repayment rates are 83.7% at year 3 and 87.3% at year 5, indicating graduates manage their loans well despite moderate earnings. The program mix is liberal arts-heavy: CS leads on earnings ($72,926 year-one, $94,101 year-four), but most programs cluster between $28,000 and $56,000 at year one. Natural resources, international relations, and economics post B-range ROIs. History, English, and psychology post D grades with debt-to-earnings above 0.7. For in-state students at $2,889-$15,033 net price, the math is forgiving even for lower-earning programs. Out-of-state students need to model carefully.
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,298/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,374/yr |
| Average net price | $18,441/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,764 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $60,110 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,603 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $15,298/year ($31,374/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $18,441/year, or roughly $73,764 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $2,889/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,173/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,000, which works out to about $223 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,600) and comes to 0.54, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $2,889 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,053 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,033 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,796 |
| $110,001+ | $25,173 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students in the 0-30000 bracket pay $2,889 per year - $11,556 over four years. Even for graduates entering lower-earning fields like humanities or social sciences, the return on $11,556 invested is structurally positive. This is the income tier where St. Mary's case is most compelling.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $15,033 per year. At $60,132 over four years against $38,600 average 6-year earnings, the payback is 8.5 years in aggregate. High-earning program graduates (CS, economics, natural resources) will substantially beat this timeline. The public-school cost structure makes this a defensible choice for middle-income families in Maryland.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $25,173 per year - $100,692 over four years. At out-of-state or high-income pricing, the case becomes more program-dependent. Full-pay students should target programs with year-four earnings above $65,000 (CS, economics, international relations) to achieve a payback period under 10 years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at St. Mary's College of Maryland with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $61,214 | D |
| Biology | $66,097 | C |
| Economics | $71,252 | C+ |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $56,619 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $53,504 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $94,101 | B+ |
| International Relations | $72,397 | B+ |
| Mathematics | $77,474 | - |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,442 | - |
| Public Policy Analysis | $69,232 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences is St. Mary's highest-earning program: 20 graduates, $72,926 median year-one earnings, $94,101 at year four. Debt-to-earnings of 0.302 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $22,000 is low at these earnings. For an institution primarily known for liberal arts, this is a strong CS pipeline relative to cost. The small cohort means industry connections are tight-knit rather than volume-based.
Economics
Economics had 37 graduates earning $51,483 at year one and $71,252 at year four. Debt-to-earnings of 0.485 (ROI grade C+).
Natural Resources Conservation
Natural Resources Conservation had 30 graduates and year-four earnings of $56,619 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.353 (ROI grade B). Year-one data is not reported. St. Mary's location on the Patuxent River watershed gives this program a distinctive field-research component that the Scorecard data cannot fully capture.
Biology
Biology had 40 graduates at $36,331 year-one and $66,097 year-four. Debt-to-earnings of 0.567 (ROI grade C). The wide year-one to year-four spread ($29,766) suggests a significant share of biology graduates proceed to graduate or professional school, depressing year-one figures while improving longer-term outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology had 51 graduates at $28,334 year-one and $61,214 year-four. Debt-to-earnings 0.759 (ROI grade D). The large gap between year-one and year-four earnings strongly implies graduate school enrollment in psychology or counseling programs. Year-one earnings of $28,334 against $21,500 debt is a financially fragile start, though the eventual four-year figure suggests the trajectory improves for those who persist.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 83.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 87.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 86.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How St. Mary's College of Maryland’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 68.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 553-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 590-690 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 26-31 |
| Enrollment | 1,603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,044 |
The admission rate of 68.6% with ACT 26-31 mid-range places this in the moderately selective tier. SAT Reading 590-690 is notably high - the institution selects for writing and critical reasoning ability, consistent with a liberal arts honors mission. Prospective students below the 26th ACT percentile should have strong evidence of academic engagement to compensate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's College of Maryland (this school) | 73 | $18,441 | $60,110 |
| Charter Oak State College | 77 | $15,815 | $64,209 |
| University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online | 72 | $10,864 | $66,479 |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | 71 | $18,952 | $55,763 |
| University of Baltimore | 64 | $13,868 | $61,335 |
| Bowie State University | 40 | $19,298 | $54,537 |
Who Thrives Here
St. Mary's enrolls 1,603 students in St. Mary's City, Maryland - a small, residential campus on the Chesapeake Bay. Admission rate is 68.6%, with SAT Math 553-650 and Reading 590-690 mid-ranges; ACT 26-31. The Pell grant rate is 21.1%, suggesting a relatively affluent student body.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
St. Mary's College of Maryland is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,441 a year after aid ($73,764 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $60,110 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.5 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 70.0% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $21,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
St. Mary's College of Maryland: Common Questions
Is St. Mary's College of Maryland worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether St. Mary's College of Maryland is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 73/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,441 a year after aid ($73,764 over four years) against $60,110 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.5 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does St. Mary's College of Maryland cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $18,441 a year, or roughly $73,764 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $60,110 ten years after enrolling, roughly $18,310 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off St. Mary's College of Maryland?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 8.5 years for St. Mary's College of Maryland. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,000, against average earnings of $38,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at St. Mary's College of Maryland?
The six-year graduation rate is 70.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.