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Westmont College Biola University USD Pepperdine San Diego State Azusa Pacific University Chapman UCSD USF Loyola Marymount Cal Poly California Lutheran University| Point Loma Nazarene University | Thomas Aquinas College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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Costs |
PLNU | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $40,400 | $27,000 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 11:1 | ||
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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/