Caltech vs. Thomas Aquinas College

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Thomas Aquinas College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or 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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California Institute of Technology vs. Thomas Aquinas College comparison
California Institute of Technology Thomas Aquinas College College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Thomas Aquinas College
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Overview

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
Location Pasadena, CA Santa Paula, CA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 2,401 516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu thomasaquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $27,000
Room & Board $18,606 $9,900
Avg Net Price $20,755 $24,217
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $14,211
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 57%

Admission

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 262
Admitted 448 222
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 84.7%
Enrolled % 50% 62.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 27/32
SAT Range 1530/1580 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2025

Academics

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 87% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments - 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $148 $175

Diversity

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 61% 48%
% Women 39% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 70%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Caltech Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 29% 32%
% Out-of-State 58% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 516 students)

Caltech vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Thomas Aquinas College?

  • California Institute of Technology is 116.6% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 116.6% higher at Caltech than Thomas Aquinas College ($58,479.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Thomas Aquinas College ($20,755 vs. $24,217)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 87.9% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($9,900 vs. $18,606)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology as Thomas Aquinas College (57% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 316.5% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($59,192 vs. $14,211)

Caltech vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 264 points higher than at Thomas Aquinas College (1280)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Thomas Aquinas College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Thomas Aquinas College (3.8)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or 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 Thomas Aquinas College and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (87% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $40,100 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $45,700)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,650 lower median federal student loan debt than Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($14,350 vs. $17,000)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($148 vs. $175)

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