California Lutheran University vs. Thomas Aquinas College

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

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Santa Paula, CA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 3,413 539
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #359
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu thomasaquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $49,880 $28,700
Tuition (Out of State) $49,880 $28,700
Room & Board $17,734 $10,700
Avg Net Price $27,080 $23,039
Avg Grant Aid $36,687 $16,961
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,290 263
Admitted 4,702 207
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 78.7%
Enrolled % 12.2% 69.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 25/33
SAT Range 1134/1320 1160/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025

Academics

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 64% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $175

Diversity

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 10% 35%
% Women 20% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 49% 70%
% Black 4% 0%
% Hispanic 27% 15%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 80% 32%
% Out-of-State 16% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Lutheran University is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (3,413 students vs. 539 students)

California Lutheran University vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or Thomas Aquinas College?

  • California Lutheran University is 73.8% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($49,880.00 vs. $28,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.8% higher at California Lutheran University than Thomas Aquinas College ($49,880.00 vs. $28,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than California Lutheran University ($23,039 vs. $27,080)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 65.7% lower than costs at California Lutheran University ($10,700 vs. $17,734)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 116.3% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($36,687 vs. $16,961)

California Lutheran University vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California Lutheran University 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 California Lutheran University .

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 171 points higher than at California Lutheran University (1109)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at California Lutheran University (25)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at California Lutheran University (3.73)
  • California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Thomas Aquinas College (78.7%)

California Lutheran University vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California Lutheran University 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 California Lutheran University.

  • The graduation rate at Thomas Aquinas College is higher than California Lutheran University (69% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from California Lutheran University earn on average $12,200 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $45,700)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($17,000 vs. $23,000)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($175 vs. $237)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Lutheran University students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 70%)

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