Thomas Aquinas College vs. Wheaton College

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

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
Location Santa Paula, CA Wheaton, IL
Setting Distant Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 516 2,885
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Undenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website thomasaquinas.edu wheaton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $41,990
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $41,990
Room & Board $9,900 $11,690
Avg Net Price $24,217 $29,961
Avg Grant Aid $14,211 $24,272
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 262 1,893
Admitted 222 1,674
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 88.4%
Enrolled % 62.6% 30.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 28/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1250/1430
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 69% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $232

Diversity

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
% Men 48% 43%
% Women 52% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 76%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton College
% In-State 32% 23%
% Out-of-State 63% 70%

Campus

Thomas Aquinas College Wheaton 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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 516 students)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

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

  • Wheaton College is 55.5% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($41,990.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.5% higher at Wheaton College than Thomas Aquinas College ($41,990.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than Wheaton College ($24,217 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 18.1% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($9,900 vs. $11,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 70.8% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($24,272 vs. $14,211)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 34 points higher than at Thomas Aquinas College (1280)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have at the same average ACT score (30) as students at Wheaton College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Thomas Aquinas College (84.7%)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Thomas Aquinas College or Wheaton 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 Wheaton College and Thomas Aquinas College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (87% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $8,600 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $45,700)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($17,000 vs. $22,500)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($175 vs. $232)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thomas Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 90%)

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