Salem State University vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College

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

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Location Salem, MA Sparkill, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,539 2,033
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #733 #567
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu stac.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $910 $35,500
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $35,500
Room & Board $14,954 $15,370
Avg Net Price $19,277 $21,745
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $29,710
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 1,861
Admitted 4,719 1,649
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 88.6%
Enrolled % 18.3% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.0
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 986/1210 920/1270
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 Jun 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 42% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $248 $232

Diversity

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 31% 48%
% Women 69% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 52%
% Black 9% 10%
% Hispanic 12% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

Salem State University Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 90% 71%
% Out-of-State 8% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Saint Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 2,033 students)

Salem State University vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Saint Thomas Aquinas College?

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is 3,801.1% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($35,500.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 403.5% higher at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Salem State University ($35,500.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem State University than Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($19,277 vs. $21,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem State University are 2.8% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($14,954 vs. $15,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Salem State University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 247% larger than aid received Salem State University ($29,710 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Salem State University students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (88.6%)

Salem State University vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Saint 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 Saint Thomas Aquinas College and Salem State University.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Thomas Aquinas College is higher than Salem State University (58% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Saint Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $3,600 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $44,400)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Salem State University graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,000)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Salem State University graduates. ($232 vs. $248)
  • More Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 63%)

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