St Mary's College vs Temple Christian College
St Mary's College (Adelaide) is a catholic school and Temple Christian College (Mile End) is a independent school. St Mary's College is a girls’ school; Temple Christian College is co-educational. St Mary's College teaches R-12 and Temple Christian College teaches 7-12. St Mary's College has 659 students and Temple Christian College has 1,151 (ACARA 2025). They are about 1.1 km apart in a straight line.
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 Mary's College | Temple Christian College |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Adelaide | Mile End |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - West |
| Sector | Catholic | Independent |
| Students | Girls | Co-ed |
| Year levels | R-12 | 7-12 |
| Religion | Catholic (Dominican) | Christian |
| Boarding | No | No |
| Senior years | SACE | SACE (VET options) |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Library | |
| Distance apart | About 1.1 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families wanting a single-sex school for a daughter: St Mary's College takes girls only.
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Temple Christian College is co-ed.
- Families choosing by faith: St Mary's College is Catholic (Dominican); Temple Christian College is Christian.
- Location: St Mary's College is in Adelaide (Adelaide - Central and Hills); Temple Christian College is in Mile End (Adelaide - West).
- Size: Temple Christian College is the larger school, with 492 more students.
- Smaller ratio: St Mary's College has fewer students per teacher (10.8 against 12.6, ACARA 2025).
History
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
Temple Christian College
Temple Christian College was planned in the 1970s by a committee chaired by Pastor David Rodway, and opened in 1983 as Temple College at Tabor Bible College in Unley Park, with 35 Year 8 students and Bruce Robson, formerly deputy headmaster of Pulteney Grammar, as headmaster. A year later it bought the Thomas Hardy building at Mile End and moved there, and in 1994 it took the name Temple Christian College.
Source: tcc.sa.edu.au
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between St Mary's College and Temple Christian College?
St Mary's College is a girls’ school; Temple Christian College is co-educational. St Mary's College teaches R-12 and Temple Christian College teaches 7-12. St Mary's College has 659 students and Temple Christian College has 1,151 (ACARA 2025).
Is St Mary's College or Temple Christian College co-ed?
St Mary's College is a girls’ school and Temple Christian College is co-educational.
Which is bigger, St Mary's College or Temple Christian College?
Temple Christian College is bigger: 1,151 students against 659 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do St Mary's College and Temple Christian College have?
St Mary's College has 10.8 students per teacher and Temple Christian College has 12.6 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, St Mary's College or Temple Christian College?
St Mary's College is older. St Mary's College was founded in 1869 and Temple Christian College in 1983.
Do St Mary's College and Temple Christian College take boarders?
Neither takes boarders.
How far apart are St Mary's College and Temple Christian College?
About 1.1 km in a straight line: St Mary's College is in Adelaide and Temple Christian College is in Mile End.
How do St Mary's College and Temple Christian 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