Palm Beach State College vs. St. Thomas University

Should I go to Palm Beach State College or St. Thomas University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Palm Beach State College or St. Thomas University 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Barry University BC Indian River State College Lynn University St. Leo University Valencia College Stetson University MDC FAU FIU Nova Saint Xavier University
Palm Beach State College vs. St. Thomas University comparison
Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University College 3 College 4
Palm Beach State College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Location Lake Worth, FL Miami Gardens, FL
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 24,223 6,370
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #876
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website palmbeachstate.edu stu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Tuition (In State) $3,030 $32,600
Tuition (Out of State) $10,890 $32,600
Room & Board $12,825 $12,460
Avg Net Price $10,549 $28,654
Avg Grant Aid $5,996 $22,668
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,520
Admitted - 4,899
Acceptance Rate Open 65.1%
Enrolled % Open 10.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.24
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21
SAT Range 860/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Business (50%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Graduation Rate - 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,000 $56,400
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,750 $22,753
Median Loan Payment $59 $235

Diversity

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
% Men 40% 41%
% Women 60% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 10%
% Black 25% 21%
% Hispanic 28% 46%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 2% 18%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
% In-State 98% 77%
% Out-of-State 1% 12%

Campus

 Palm Beach State College St. Thomas University
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Palm Beach State College is larger than than St. Thomas University based on total student enrollment (24,223 students vs. 6,370 students)

Palm Beach State College vs. St. Thomas University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach State College or St. Thomas University?

  • St. Thomas University is 975.9% more expensive to attend than Palm Beach State College for in-state tuition ($32,600.00 vs. $3,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 199.4% higher at St. Thomas University than Palm Beach State College ($32,600.00 vs. $10,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palm Beach State College than St. Thomas University ($10,549 vs. $28,654)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St. Thomas University are 2.9% lower than costs at Palm Beach State College ($12,460 vs. $12,825)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St. Thomas University than Palm Beach State College (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St. Thomas University students is 278.1% larger than aid received Palm Beach State College ($22,668 vs. $5,996)

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

Palm Beach State College vs. St. Thomas University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach State College or St. Thomas University? 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 St. Thomas University and Palm Beach State College.

  • Graduates from St. Thomas University earn on average $20,400 more per year than Palm Beach State College graduates after ten years. ($56,400 vs. $36,000)
  • Palm Beach State College students graduate with a $17,003 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Thomas University graduates. ($5,750 vs. $22,753)
  • Palm Beach State College graduates are paying $176 less per month on federal student loans than St. Thomas University graduates. ($59 vs. $235)
  • More St. Thomas University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach State College students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 38%)

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