San Diego State vs. Thomas Aquinas College

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

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
Location San Diego, CA Santa Paula, CA
Setting Large City Distant Rural
Enrollment 37,402 516
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #337
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu thomasaquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $27,000
Room & Board $19,714 $9,900
Avg Net Price $13,017 $24,217
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $14,211
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 57%

Admission

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 262
Admitted 30,331 222
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 84.7%
Enrolled % 21.7% 62.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 27/32
SAT Range 1090/1300 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 66% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $175

Diversity

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 42% 48%
% Women 58% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 70%
% Black 4% 0%
% Hispanic 31% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

San Diego State Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 77% 32%
% Out-of-State 21% 63%

Campus

San Diego State 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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 516 students)

San Diego State vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or Thomas Aquinas College?

  • Thomas Aquinas College is 370.2% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($27,000.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at Thomas Aquinas College than San Diego State University ($27,000.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Thomas Aquinas College ($13,017 vs. $24,217)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 99.1% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($9,900 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Aquinas College than San Diego State University (57% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Aquinas College students is 43.1% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($14,211 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State 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 San Diego State .

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 150 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Thomas Aquinas College (3.8)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State 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 San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at Thomas Aquinas College is higher than San Diego State University (69% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $7,700 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $45,700)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $1,651 lower median federal student loan debt than Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($15,349 vs. $17,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Thomas Aquinas College graduates. ($158 vs. $175)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 65%)

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