California Lutheran University vs. University of St Thomas

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

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Houston, TX
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 3,615 3,588
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #347 #479
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu stthom.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
Tuition (In State) $47,500 $31,724
Tuition (Out of State) $47,500 $31,724
Room & Board $15,490 $9,760
Avg Net Price $30,416 $19,207
Avg Grant Aid $30,597 $23,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,150 1,123
Admitted 4,490 1,086
Acceptance Rate 87.2% 96.7%
Enrolled % 13.4% 47.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 24/29
SAT Range 1150/1320 1010/1300
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 Jan 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
Graduation Rate 64% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $227

Diversity

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 28%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 27% 40%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

California Lutheran University University of St Thomas
% In-State 80% 95%
% Out-of-State 17% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Lutheran University is larger than than University of St Thomas based on total student enrollment (3,615 students vs. 3,588 students)

California Lutheran University vs. University of St Thomas Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or University of St Thomas?

  • California Lutheran University is 49.7% more expensive to attend than University of St Thomas for in-state tuition ($47,500.00 vs. $31,724.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at California Lutheran University than University of St Thomas ($47,500.00 vs. $31,724.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of St Thomas than California Lutheran University ($19,207 vs. $30,416)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of St Thomas are 58.7% lower than costs at California Lutheran University ($9,760 vs. $15,490)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than University of St Thomas (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 32% larger than aid received University of St Thomas ($30,597 vs. $23,181)

California Lutheran University vs. University of St Thomas Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Lutheran University (1109) is 6 points higher than at University of St Thomas (1103)
  • Incoming California Lutheran University students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at University of St Thomas (25)
  • Accepted freshman California Lutheran University students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at University of St Thomas (3.53)
  • University of St Thomas has a higher acceptance rate (96.7%) than California Lutheran University (87.2%)

California Lutheran University vs. University of St Thomas Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California Lutheran University or University of St Thomas? 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 University of St Thomas and California Lutheran University.

  • The graduation rate at California Lutheran University is higher than University of St Thomas (64% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from California Lutheran University earn on average $700 more per year than University of St Thomas graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $57,200)
  • University of St Thomas students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,000)
  • University of St Thomas graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($227 vs. $237)
  • More California Lutheran University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Thomas students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 59%)

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