California College of the Arts vs. Thomas College

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA with Thomas College in Waterville, ME on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Thomas College is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (1,635 students vs. 1,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Thomas College is in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; Thomas College 20:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Thomas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Thomas College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas College than California College of the Arts ($19,126 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 36.2% lower than at California College of the Arts ($14,090 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 89.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Thomas College (about $28,402 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 89.2% higher at California College of the Arts than at Thomas College (about $28,402 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Thomas College than at California College of the Arts (98% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 16.8% larger than aid received by Thomas College students ($32,953 vs. $28,212).

California College of the Arts vs. Thomas College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or Thomas College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Thomas College and California College of the Arts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Thomas College - Test-free.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than California College of the Arts (91.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 16.1% at Thomas College.

California College of the Arts vs. Thomas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and Thomas College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• California College of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Thomas College's (45%).
• Graduates from California College of the Arts earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than Thomas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,500 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Thomas College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($27,000 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, Thomas College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($279 vs. $289).
• More Thomas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.