Thomas Aquinas College vs Saint Mary's College of California

Thomas Aquinas College and Saint Mary's College of California, both rooted in the Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. Thomas Aquinas, a liberal arts college, boasts a rigorous curriculum centered around the Great Books, while Saint Mary's, a comprehensive university, provides a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs. With acceptance rates of 68% and 75% respectively, both institutions maintain selective admissions. While Thomas Aquinas primarily attracts students seeking a classical education in the humanities, Saint Mary's draws a more diverse student body, with popular majors spanning business, nursing, and psychology. Discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences by exploring the detailed comparison table below.
Saint Mary's College of California logo

Saint Mary's College of California

Thomas Aquinas College logo

Thomas Aquinas College

Overview

Location Moraga, California Santa Paula, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large Rural: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 89.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.1% 83.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $50
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 3,523 261
Total number of admissions given out 2,469 217
Admitted students who chose to enroll 421 131
Yield rate 17.1% 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 $71,116 $48,062
Average net price $25,022 $22,631
Tuition $51,568 $26,000
Room & board $16,300 $9,400
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $37,096
71.0%
Average amount $13,973
Students receiving federal student loan 75.0%
Average amount $5,473
69.0%
Average amount $3,590
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $19,233
5.0%
Average amount $7,167

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,199
Men 42.0% Women 58.0%
497
Men 49.7% Women 50.3%
Graduate students 966
Men 35.5% Women 64.5%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 13.9% N/A
International students 2.9% 5.4%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,522 659
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Oregon Hawaii N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.1% 85.9%
Dropout rate 26.3% 3.8%
Transferred out N/A 9.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,339
  • Year 2: $108,331
  • Year 3: $119,946
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,181
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $87,697
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $86,536
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,207
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $72,426
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,833
  • Year 2: $61,814
  • Year 3: $68,615
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,015
  • Year 2: $54,996
  • Year 3: $67,476
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,013
  • Year 2: $57,705
  • Year 3: $61,957
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,519
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $60,193
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,458
  • Year 2: $52,562
  • Year 3: $54,948
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,425
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $50,097
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,750
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $34,459

Compare Similar Colleges

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