Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. CNU

Should I go to Saint Thomas Aquinas College or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Saint Thomas Aquinas College or CNU 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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Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
Saint Thomas Aquinas College Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
Christopher Newport University
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Overview

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
Location Sparkill, NY Newport News, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,950 4,503
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #572 #418
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stac.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
Tuition (In State) $36,920 $10,001
Tuition (Out of State) $36,920 $24,238
Room & Board $16,280 $12,360
Avg Net Price $21,257 $22,864
Avg Grant Aid $30,197 $9,141
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 65%

Admission

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,251 7,062
Admitted 1,851 6,212
Acceptance Rate 82.2% 88%
Enrolled % 13.3% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.0 3.79
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29
SAT Range 920/1270 1100/1300
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 May 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $258

Diversity

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 6% 1%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 74%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 22% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 9% 5%

Students

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
% In-State 70% 93%
% Out-of-State 25% 6%

Campus

Saint Thomas Aquinas College CNU
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

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than Saint Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (4,503 students vs. 1,950 students)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or CNU?

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is 269.2% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($36,920.00 vs. $10,001.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Christopher Newport University ($36,920.00 vs. $24,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than CNU ($21,257 vs. $22,864)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 31.7% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($12,360 vs. $16,280)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Christopher Newport University (100% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 230.3% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($30,197 vs. $9,141)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or Saint Thomas Aquinas College .

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 213 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (20)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.79 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (82.2%)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or CNU? 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 CNU and Saint Thomas Aquinas College.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Saint Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $900 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $47,100)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 71%)

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