Thomas Aquinas College vs. Whittier College

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

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
Location Santa Paula, CA Whittier, CA
Setting Distant Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 516 1,192
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website thomasaquinas.edu whittier.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $48,924
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $48,924
Room & Board $9,900 $15,623
Avg Net Price $24,217 $28,368
Avg Grant Aid $14,211 $34,623
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 262 3,014
Admitted 222 2,274
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 75.4%
Enrolled % 62.6% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 24/30
SAT Range 1220/1410 1140/1340
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
Graduation Rate 69% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $263

Diversity

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
% Men 48% 44%
% Women 52% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 31%
% Black 0% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 44%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier College
% In-State 32% 64%
% Out-of-State 63% 27%

Campus

Thomas Aquinas College Whittier 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

  • Whittier College is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (1,192 students vs. 516 students)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Whittier College Cost Comparison

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

  • Whittier College is 81.2% more expensive to attend than Thomas Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($48,924.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.2% higher at Whittier College than Thomas Aquinas College ($48,924.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Aquinas College than Whittier College ($24,217 vs. $28,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 57.8% lower than costs at Whittier College ($9,900 vs. $15,623)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College than Thomas Aquinas College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Whittier College students is 143.6% larger than aid received Thomas Aquinas College ($34,623 vs. $14,211)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Whittier College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 223 points higher than at Whittier College (1057)
  • Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Whittier College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Whittier College (3.61)
  • Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Whittier College (75.4%)

Thomas Aquinas College vs. Whittier College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Thomas Aquinas College is higher than Whittier College (69% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Whittier College earn on average $1,700 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $45,700)
  • Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Whittier College graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,500)
  • Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than Whittier College graduates. ($175 vs. $263)
  • More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Whittier College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 69%)

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