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 3,615 516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #347
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) $47,500 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $47,500 $27,000
Room & Board $15,490 $9,900
Avg Net Price $30,416 $24,217
Avg Grant Aid $30,597 $14,211
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 57%

Admission

California Lutheran University Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,150 262
Admitted 4,490 222
Acceptance Rate 87.2% 84.7%
Enrolled % 13.4% 62.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 27/32
SAT Range 1150/1320 1220/1410
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 14:1 11:1
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 43% 48%
% Women 57% 52%
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 17% 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 (3,615 students vs. 516 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 75.9% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($47,500.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.9% higher at California Lutheran University than Thomas Aquinas College ($47,500.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than California Lutheran University ($24,217 vs. $30,416)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 56.5% lower than costs at California Lutheran University ($9,900 vs. $15,490)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than Thomas Aquinas College (99% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 115.3% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($30,597 vs. $14,211)

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 (87.2%) than Thomas Aquinas College (84.7%)

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/