Thomas Aquinas College vs. MCAD

Should I go to Thomas Aquinas College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Thomas Aquinas College or MCAD 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. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Thomas Aquinas College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Thomas Aquinas College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
Location Santa Paula, CA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Distant Rural Large City
Enrollment 516 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website thomasaquinas.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $42,110
Room & Board $9,900 $7,290
Avg Net Price $24,217 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $14,211 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 262 668
Admitted 222 380
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 56.9%
Enrolled % 62.6% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 19/27
SAT Range 1220/1410 1170/1380
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
Graduation Rate 69% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $175 $266

Diversity

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
% Men 48% 31%
% Women 52% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 59%
% Black 0% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 16%

Students

Thomas Aquinas College MCAD
% In-State 32% 61%
% Out-of-State 63% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (821 students vs. 516 students)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

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

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 56% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56% higher at MCAD than Thomas Aquinas College ($42,110.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than MCAD ($24,217 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 35.8% lower than costs at Thomas Aquinas College ($7,290 vs. $9,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 83.1% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($26,025 vs. $14,211)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 184 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than MCAD (56.9%)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Thomas Aquinas College or MCAD? 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 MCAD and Thomas Aquinas College.

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (70% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $4,200 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $41,500)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $8,750 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,750)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($175 vs. $266)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 74%)

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