St Aloysius College vs St Mary's College
St Aloysius College (Adelaide) and St Mary's College (Adelaide) are both catholic schools in Adelaide. Both are a girls’ school. Both teach R-12. St Aloysius College has 1,091 students and St Mary's College has 659 (ACARA 2025). They are about 1.3 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: St Aloysius College: Photo: YellowMonkey, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
See both schools’ full fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
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Key numbers
Students, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025 (students per teacher is total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff; it isn’t class size).
Fees and results
Side by side
| Fact | St Aloysius College | St Mary's College |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Adelaide | Adelaide |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - Central and Hills |
| Sector | Catholic | Catholic |
| Students | Girls | Girls |
| Year levels | R-12 | R-12 |
| Religion | Catholic (Mercy) | Catholic (Dominican) |
| Boarding | No | No |
| Senior years | SACE | SACE |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Swimming pool, Gym, Indoor sports centre, Theatre / performing arts centre, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo | Library |
| Distance apart | About 1.3 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families choosing by faith: St Aloysius College is Catholic (Mercy); St Mary's College is Catholic (Dominican).
- Size: St Aloysius College is the larger school, with 432 more students.
- Listed by St Aloysius College but not St Mary's College: Swimming pool, Gym, Indoor sports centre, Theatre / performing arts centre, Early learning centre, Science / STEM labs, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton and Water polo.
History
St Aloysius College
St Aloysius traces back to 1880, when Irish Sisters of Mercy arrived in Adelaide from Argentina after unrest in Buenos Aires. That same year they bought George Dutton Green’s large house in Angas Street, behind St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, and opened a convent and school called St Angela’s.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
St Mary's College
St Mary’s College was founded in 1869 by seven Dominican Sisters who sailed from Dublin to Adelaide to educate girls. They began on Franklin Street in the city, and the school has never left: it is South Australia’s oldest girls’ school still operating.
Source: stmarys.sa.edu.au
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between St Aloysius College and St Mary's College?
Both are a girls’ school. Both teach R-12. St Aloysius College has 1,091 students and St Mary's College has 659 (ACARA 2025).
Is St Aloysius College or St Mary's College co-ed?
Both are a girls’ school.
Which is bigger, St Aloysius College or St Mary's College?
St Aloysius College is bigger: 1,091 students against 659 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do St Aloysius College and St Mary's College have?
St Aloysius College has 11.6 students per teacher and St Mary's College has 10.8 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, St Aloysius College or St Mary's College?
St Mary's College is older. St Aloysius College was founded in 1880 and St Mary's College in 1869.
Do St Aloysius College and St Mary's College take boarders?
Neither takes boarders.
How far apart are St Aloysius College and St Mary's College?
About 1.3 km in a straight line: St Aloysius College is in Adelaide and St Mary's College is in Adelaide.
How do St Aloysius College and St Mary's College fees compare?
Each school publishes its own fee schedule. Members see both schedules year by year, the results each school reports and the total cost to Year 12. Always confirm current fees with the school.
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School profiles
Get the full picture: fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
Compare these schools in full →A$9.99 a year, cancel anytimeSecure payment by Stripe
Source and date
Enrolment, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025. Other facts: each school’s website, checked 21 October 2026. Distance is a straight line between the schools’ map points, not travel distance. Check details with the schools before deciding. Methodology