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Liberty University Mount Saint Mary College Eastern University Wheaton College Elizabethtown College Penn State Houghton College Cedarville University Millersville University of Pennsylvania LVC Dominican College Drexel| Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Sparkill, NY | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,033 | 3,231 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #567 | #358 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stac.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $35,500 | $38,550 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $35,500 | $38,550 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,370 | $11,560 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,745 | $24,120 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $29,710 | $27,519 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,861 | 2,438 | ||
| Admitted | 1,649 | 1,936 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 88.6% | 79.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.9% | 30.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.0 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/30 | |||
| SAT Range | 920/1270 | 1090/1340 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 58% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,000 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 71% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,500 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $232 | $268 |
Diversity |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 48% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 52% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 52% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 9% | 1% |
Students |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 71% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 25% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Saint Thomas Aquinas College | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Messiah College is larger than than Saint Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 2,033 students)
Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or Messiah College?
- Messiah College is 8.6% more expensive to attend than Saint Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $35,500.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at Messiah College than Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($38,550.00 vs. $35,500.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Messiah College ($21,745 vs. $24,120)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 33% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($11,560 vs. $15,370)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Saint Thomas Aquinas College as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 8% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,710 vs. $27,519)
Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or Saint Thomas Aquinas College .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 187 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
- Incoming Messiah College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (20)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.8 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
- Saint Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than Messiah College (79.4%)
Saint Thomas Aquinas College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Saint Thomas Aquinas College or Messiah 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 Messiah College and Saint Thomas Aquinas College.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (74% vs. 58%)
- Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $600 more per year than Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $48,000)
- Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $3,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,989)
- Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 71%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/