BLC vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or Saint Thomas Aquinas College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or Saint Thomas Aquinas College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bethany Lutheran College vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College comparison
Bethany Lutheran College Saint Thomas Aquinas College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Location Mankato, MN Sparkill, NY
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 830 2,033
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #567
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu stac.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $35,500
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $35,500
Room & Board $8,270 $15,370
Avg Net Price $18,525 $21,745
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $29,710
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 1,861
Admitted 389 1,649
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 88.6%
Enrolled % 45.2% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.0
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 990/1290 920/1270
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 53% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $232

Diversity

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 48% 48%
% Women 52% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 52%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 59% 71%
% Out-of-State 23% 25%

Campus

 BLC Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (2,033 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Saint Thomas Aquinas College?

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is 25.3% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($35,500.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.3% higher at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Bethany Lutheran College ($35,500.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($18,525 vs. $21,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 85.9% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($8,270 vs. $15,370)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Saint Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 43.5% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($29,710 vs. $20,705)

BLC vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BLC or Saint Thomas Aquinas College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Saint Thomas Aquinas College or BLC .

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 132 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
  • Incoming BLC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (20)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or Saint Thomas Aquinas College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Saint Thomas Aquinas College and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Thomas Aquinas College is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (58% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Saint Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $10,700 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $37,300)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than BLC graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than BLC graduates. ($232 vs. $240)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 71%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/