Rust College vs Thomas Aquinas College

Rust College and Thomas Aquinas College, while both offering unique educational experiences, present distinct differences in their academic offerings, student demographics, and campus environments. Rust College, a historically Black college in Holly Springs, Mississippi, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on liberal arts education. In contrast, Thomas Aquinas College, located in Santa Paula, California, is a Catholic liberal arts college known for its rigorous curriculum rooted in the Great Books tradition. With Rust College's higher acceptance rate and Thomas Aquinas College's lower student-faculty ratio, prospective students can explore the detailed comparison table to discover which institution better aligns with their academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Rust College logo

Rust College

Thomas Aquinas College logo

Thomas Aquinas College

Overview

Location Holly Springs, Mississippi Santa Paula, California
Campus setting Town: 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 Undergraduate
Students retention rate 55.0% 89.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Methodism Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 37.6% 83.1%
Application fees $10
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 2,609 261
Total number of admissions given out 981 217
Admitted students who chose to enroll 349 131
Yield rate 35.6% 60.4%
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 Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $17,400 $48,062
Average net price $7,927 $22,631
Tuition $9,900 $26,000
Room & board $4,300 $9,400
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $8,773
71.0%
Average amount $13,973
Students receiving federal student loan 63.0%
Average amount $4,401
69.0%
Average amount $3,590
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $0
5.0%
Average amount $7,167

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 768
Men 43.2% Women 56.8%
497
Men 49.7% Women 50.3%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.4% 5.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity 800 659
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
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 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 26.9% 85.9%
Dropout rate 66.1% 3.8%
Transferred out N/A 9.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,652
  • Year 2: $17,595
  • Year 3: $27,486
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,648
  • Year 2: $19,455
  • Year 3: $25,891
Journalism (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,252
  • Year 2: $19,683
  • Year 3: $18,034
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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