Thomas College vs. NEC

Comparable Facts

Compare Thomas College in Waterville, ME with New England College in Henniker, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New England College is larger than Thomas College based on total student enrollment (3,275 students vs. 1,635 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Thomas College is located in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting); New England College is in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Thomas College 20:1; New England College 8:1.

Thomas College vs. NEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thomas College or NEC? 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 NEC ($19,126 vs. $27,398).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 19.6% lower than at New England College ($14,090 vs. $17,526).
• New England College is 31.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Thomas College (about $10,114 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.8% higher at NEC than at Thomas College (about $10,114 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at New England College than at Thomas College (99% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 13.8% larger than aid received by Thomas College students ($32,095 vs. $28,212).

Thomas College vs. NEC Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Thomas College - Test-free; NEC - Test-free.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than NEC (92.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Thomas College vs. 8.8% at NEC.

Thomas College vs. NEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Thomas College's six-year graduation rate (45%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from Thomas College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, New England College and Thomas College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, New England College 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 NEC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 54%)

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.