Thomas College vs. FIT

Comparable Facts

Compare Thomas College in Waterville, ME with Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Fashion Institute of Technology is larger than Thomas College based on total student enrollment (8,206 students vs. 1,635 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Thomas College is located in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting); Fashion Institute of Technology is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Fashion Institute of Technology is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Thomas College 20:1; Fashion Institute of Technology 16:1.

Thomas College vs. FIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thomas College or FIT? 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 Fashion Institute of Technology than Thomas College ($16,340 vs. $19,126).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 44.7% lower than at Fashion Institute of Technology ($14,090 vs. $25,458).
• Thomas College is 405.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than FIT (about $25,530 more per year; $31,824.00 vs. $6,294.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 88.6% higher at Thomas College than at Fashion Institute of Technology (about $14,950 more per year; $31,824.00 vs. $16,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Thomas College than at Fashion Institute of Technology (98% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas College students is 239.7% larger than aid received by Fashion Institute of Technology students ($28,212 vs. $8,304).

Thomas College vs. FIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Thomas College or FIT? 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 FIT and Thomas College.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Thomas College - Test-free; FIT - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: FIT Jan 1, 2027.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than FIT (60.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Thomas College vs. 55.8% at FIT.

Thomas College vs. FIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Thomas College and FIT? 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).

• Graduates from Fashion Institute of Technology earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than Thomas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,600 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fashion Institute of Technology graduates have a $7,500 lower median loan debt than Thomas College graduates ($19,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, FIT graduates have an estimated $78 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Thomas College graduates ($201 vs. $279).
• More FIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thomas College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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.