Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. JMU

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

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
Location Sparkill, NY Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,033 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #567 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stac.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
Tuition (In State) $35,500 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $35,500 $24,744
Room & Board $15,370 $12,040
Avg Net Price $21,745 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $29,710 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,861 30,727
Admitted 1,649 24,062
Acceptance Rate 88.6% 78.3%
Enrolled % 14.9% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.0 3.57
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29
SAT Range 920/1270 1140/1320
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
Graduation Rate 58% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $232 $216

Diversity

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
% Men 48% 42%
% Women 52% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 76%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 22% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 9% 3%

Students

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
% In-State 71% 73%
% Out-of-State 25% 26%

Campus

Saint Thomas Aquinas College JMU
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

  • James Madison University is larger than than Saint Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 2,033 students)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is 362% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($35,500.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.5% higher at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than James Madison University ($35,500.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($18,274 vs. $21,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 27.7% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($12,040 vs. $15,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 194.7% larger than aid received James Madison University ($29,710 vs. $10,081)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 192 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (20)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than JMU (78.3%)

Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (81% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $12,300 more per year than Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $48,000)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $1,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($20,899 vs. $22,500)
  • JMU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($216 vs. $232)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 71%)

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