Ave Maria vs Thomas Aquinas College

Ave Maria University and Thomas Aquinas College, both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. Ave Maria, located in Florida, boasts a higher acceptance rate and larger student body, providing a diverse learning environment. Its popular majors include nursing, business, and education, catering to students seeking practical career paths. In contrast, Thomas Aquinas, nestled in California, has a more rigorous admissions process and a smaller, close-knit community. It emphasizes the liberal arts, with popular majors in philosophy, theology, and literature, nurturing students' intellectual and spiritual growth. While Ave Maria boasts a higher graduation rate, Thomas Aquinas is known for its rigorous academic standards and strong alumni network. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Ave Maria University	Thomas Aquinas College
Overview
Location	Ave Maria, Florida	Santa Paula, California
Campus setting	Rural: Distant	Rural: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	76.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Catholic	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.0%	83.1%
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	1180 - 1370
ACT range	N/A	25 - 30
Students submitting SAT score		34.0%
Students submitting ACT score		19.0%
Total number of applicants	3,705	261
Total number of admissions given out	2,373	217
Admitted students who chose to enroll	377	131
Yield rate	15.9%	60.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,977	$48,062
Average net price	$18,643	$22,631
Tuition	$23,521	$26,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,562 Meal plan: $5,528	$9,400
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $21,230	71.0% Average amount $13,973
Students receiving federal student loan	55.0% Average amount $5,696	69.0% Average amount $3,590
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $11,852	5.0% Average amount $7,167

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,259 Men 45.1% Women 54.9%	497 Men 49.7% Women 50.3%
Graduate students	43 Men 69.8% Women 30.2%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	1.3%	5.4%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Distant	Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity	1,244	659
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Theology Social Sciences Education	Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	60.9%	85.9%
Dropout rate	39.1%	3.8%
Transferred out	N/A	9.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,648 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $36,766 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,401 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,800 Year 2: $30,988 Year 3: $30,767 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,762 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,775 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,041 Year 3: N/A	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,750 Year 2: $30,047 Year 3: $34,459

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Ave Maria vs Thomas Aquinas College

Ave Maria University

Thomas Aquinas College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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