Thomas Aquinas College vs. Holy Cross College

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

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
Location Santa Paula, CA Notre Dame, IN
Setting Distant Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 516 434
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website thomasaquinas.edu hcc-nd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $33,500
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $33,500
Room & Board $9,900 $12,000
Avg Net Price $24,217 $22,650
Avg Grant Aid $14,211 $24,381
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 59%

Admission

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 262 944
Admitted 222 719
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 76.2%
Enrolled % 62.6% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1203/1373
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 28, 2025

Academics

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)

Outcomes

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
Graduation Rate 69% 13%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $175 $239

Diversity

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
% Men 48% 57%
% Women 52% 43%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 65%
% Black 0% 11%
% Hispanic 15% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Thomas Aquinas College Holy Cross College
% In-State 32% 35%
% Out-of-State 63% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Thomas Aquinas College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (516 students vs. 434 students)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Holy Cross College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thomas Aquinas College or Holy Cross College?

  • Holy Cross College is 24.1% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($33,500.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.1% higher at Holy Cross College than Thomas Aquinas College ($33,500.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than Thomas Aquinas College ($22,650 vs. $24,217)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 21.2% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($9,900 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Holy Cross College than Thomas Aquinas College (59% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 71.6% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($24,381 vs. $14,211)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Holy Cross College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 296 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Holy Cross College (76.2%)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Holy Cross College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Thomas Aquinas College or Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross College and Thomas Aquinas College.

  • The graduation rate at Thomas Aquinas College is higher than Holy Cross College (69% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $1,900 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $43,800)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $6,125 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($17,000 vs. $23,125)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($175 vs. $239)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 64%)

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