Simpson College vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College

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

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Location Indianola, IA Sparkill, NY
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,151 2,033
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #567
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu stac.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $35,500
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $35,500
Room & Board $9,654 $15,370
Avg Net Price $23,185 $21,745
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $29,710
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,861
Admitted 1,398 1,649
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 88.6%
Enrolled % 21.6% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.0
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27
SAT Range 890/1280 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 Aug 15, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 69% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 48% 48%
% Women 52% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 52%
% Black 2% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 9%

Students

Simpson College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 67% 71%
% Out-of-State 32% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,033 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 24.5% more expensive to attend than Saint Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $35,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.5% higher at Simpson College than Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($44,202.00 vs. $35,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than Simpson College ($21,745 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 59.2% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($9,654 vs. $15,370)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Saint Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 20.8% larger than aid received Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($35,898 vs. $29,710)

Simpson College vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Simpson College 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 Simpson College .

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 162 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.62 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (3.0)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (88.6%)

Simpson College vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College 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 Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Saint Thomas Aquinas College (69% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates of Simpson College and Saint Thomas Aquinas College have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($48,000 vs. $48,000)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 71%)

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