Thomas Aquinas College vs Hillsdale College
Thomas Aquinas College and Hillsdale College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Thomas Aquinas College, rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, emphasizes the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness through a rigorous classical curriculum. Hillsdale College, guided by its Christian heritage, promotes a deep understanding of the Western tradition and the principles of a free society. While both colleges share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comparison table to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() Hillsdale College |
![]() Thomas Aquinas College |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Hillsdale, Michigan | 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 and Graduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 94.0% | 89.0% |
![]() |
Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | Undenominational | Catholic |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 23.7% | 83.1% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$25
|
|
SAT range | 1340 - 1510 | 1180 - 1370 |
ACT range | 30 - 34 | 25 - 30 |
Students submitting SAT score | 22.0% | 34.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 38.0% | 19.0% |
Total number of applicants | 2,994 | 261 |
Total number of admissions given out | 709 | 217 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 397 | 131 |
Yield rate | 56.0% | 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) | Not required | Not required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $45,382 | $48,062 |
Average net price | $24,057 | $22,631 |
Tuition | $28,730 | $26,000 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$6,020
Meal plan:
$6,120
|
$9,400 |
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $20,535 |
71.0%
Average amount $13,973 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
69.0%
Average amount $3,590 |
Students taking out private loans |
34.0%
Average amount $10,497 |
5.0%
Average amount $7,167 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
1,515
Men 50.6% Women 49.4% |
497
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
Graduate students |
87
Men 67.8% Women 32.2% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity | N/A |
Low
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | N/A | 5.4% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Rural: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 1,124 | 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 |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 11:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 87.6% | 85.9% |
Dropout rate | 8.3% | 3.8% |
Transferred out | 3.9% | 9.0% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) | N/A |
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.





















































