PLNU vs. Thomas Aquinas College

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

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
Location San Diego, CA Santa Paula, CA
Setting Large City Distant Rural
Enrollment 4,319 516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu thomasaquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $27,000
Room & Board $11,800 $9,900
Avg Net Price $34,933 $24,217
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $14,211
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 57%

Admission

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 262
Admitted 2,580 222
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 84.7%
Enrolled % 26.7% 62.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 27/32
SAT Range 1170/1350 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 72% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $175

Diversity

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 34% 48%
% Women 66% 52%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 70%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 23% 15%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

PLNU Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 70% 32%
% Out-of-State 29% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (4,319 students vs. 516 students)

PLNU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

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

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 49.6% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.6% higher at PLNU than Thomas Aquinas College ($40,400.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than PLNU ($24,217 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 19.2% lower than costs at Point Loma Nazarene University ($9,900 vs. $11,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Point Loma Nazarene University students is 36.7% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($19,422 vs. $14,211)

PLNU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, PLNU 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 PLNU .

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 132 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than PLNU (81.9%)

PLNU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU 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 PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (72% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $45,700)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($175 vs. $258)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLNU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 79%)

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