Wells College vs Thomas Aquinas College
Wells College and Thomas Aquinas College, two distinct institutions with unique offerings, stand ready to shape the academic journeys of prospective students. Wells College, a private liberal arts college in Aurora, New York, boasts an acceptance rate of 75%, inviting a diverse student body to explore its popular majors in psychology, biology, and business administration. In contrast, Thomas Aquinas College, a private Catholic liberal arts college in Santa Paula, California, maintains a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of only 35%. Its curriculum centers around the Great Books, emphasizing philosophy and theology, while also offering majors in mathematics, natural science, and social science. With Wells College's graduation rate at 63% and Thomas Aquinas College's at 85%, both institutions are committed to nurturing intellectual growth and empowering students to achieve their academic goals. Delve into the comparison table below to discover more about these institutions and determine which one aligns best with your aspirations and values.
|
![]() Thomas Aquinas College |
![]() Wells College |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Santa Paula, California | Aurora, New York |
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 | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 89.0% | 46.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 83.1% | 68.3% |
Application fees | ||
SAT range | 1180 - 1370 | N/A |
ACT range | 25 - 30 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 34.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 19.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 261 | 2,167 |
Total number of admissions given out | 217 | 1,480 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 131 | 140 |
Yield rate | 60.4% | 9.5% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $48,062 | $49,100 |
Average net price | $22,631 | $19,963 |
Tuition | $26,000 | $30,950 |
Room & board | $9,400 |
Room/dormitory:
$11,800
Meal plan:
$3,000
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
71.0%
Average amount $13,973 |
100.0%
Average amount $27,321 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
69.0%
Average amount $3,590 |
83.0%
Average amount $5,847 |
Students taking out private loans |
5.0%
Average amount $7,167 |
19.0%
Average amount $13,131 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
497
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
342
Men 39.5% Women 60.5% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 5.4% | 1.2% |
Campus local/setting | Rural: Distant | Rural: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 659 | 442 |
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 | 11:1 | 9:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 85.9% | 55.0% |
Dropout rate | 3.8% | 45.0% |
Transferred out | 9.0% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Visual and Performing Arts, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (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.



























































































































































