Thomas College vs. CCS

Comparable Facts

Compare Thomas College in Waterville, ME with College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Thomas College is larger than CCS based on total student enrollment (1,635 students vs. 1,433 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Thomas College is located in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting); College for Creative Studies is in Detroit, MI (Large City setting).
• Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. College for Creative Studies is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Thomas College 20:1; College for Creative Studies 10:1.

Thomas College vs. CCS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thomas College or CCS? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas College than CCS ($19,126 vs. $36,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 7.7% lower than at College for Creative Studies ($14,090 vs. $15,272).
• College for Creative Studies is 67.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Thomas College (about $21,526 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 67.6% higher at CCS than at Thomas College (about $21,526 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Thomas College as at College for Creative Studies (98% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College for Creative Studies students is 6.7% larger than aid received by Thomas College students ($30,108 vs. $28,212).

Thomas College vs. CCS Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Thomas College or CCS? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CCS and Thomas College.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Thomas College - Test-free; CCS - Test-free.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than CCS (91.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Thomas College vs. 24.9% at CCS.

Thomas College vs. CCS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Thomas College and CCS? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• College for Creative Studies's six-year graduation rate (57%) is higher than Thomas College's (45%).
• Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Thomas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College for Creative Studies and Thomas College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, College for Creative Studies and Thomas College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Thomas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCS students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.