SCU vs. Thomas Aquinas College

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

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
Location Santa Clara, CA Santa Paula, CA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 9,340 539
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #54
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scu.edu thomasaquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $58,587 $28,700
Tuition (Out of State) $58,587 $28,700
Room & Board $18,984 $10,700
Avg Net Price $49,651 $23,039
Avg Grant Aid $28,375 $16,961
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 66%

Admission

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,843 263
Admitted 8,261 207
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 78.7%
Enrolled % 18.8% 69.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33 25/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1160/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 7, 2025

Academics

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 85% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,900 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $175

Diversity

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 15% 35%
% Women 18% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 49% 70%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 17% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

SCU Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 50% 32%
% Out-of-State 40% 63%

Campus

SCU 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

  • Santa Clara University is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (9,340 students vs. 539 students)

SCU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCU or Thomas Aquinas College?

  • Santa Clara University is 104.1% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($58,587.00 vs. $28,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.1% higher at SCU than Thomas Aquinas College ($58,587.00 vs. $28,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than SCU ($23,039 vs. $49,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 77.4% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($10,700 vs. $18,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Thomas Aquinas College (73% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 67.3% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($28,375 vs. $16,961)

SCU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCU 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 SCU .

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 33 points higher than at Thomas Aquinas College (1280)
  • Incoming SCU students have at the same average ACT score (30) as students at Thomas Aquinas College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than SCU (43.8%)

SCU vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCU 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 SCU.

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (85% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $36,200 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $45,700)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($175 vs. $222)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 84%)

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