Aquinas College vs Ave Maria

Aquinas College and Ave Maria University, both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. Aquinas College, nestled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a more diverse student body. Ave Maria University, located in Ave Maria, Florida, maintains a lower acceptance rate, fostering a close-knit community. While Aquinas College excels in nursing and business programs, Ave Maria University shines in liberal arts and education majors. Explore the detailed comparison table to uncover further differences in graduation rates, student demographics, and more, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Aquinas College logo

Aquinas College

Ave Maria University logo

Ave Maria University

Overview

Location Grand Rapids, Michigan Ave Maria, Florida
Campus setting City: Midsize Rural: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0% 76.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 89.0% 64.0%
Application fees
SAT range 1000 - 1170 N/A
ACT range 20 - 25 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 45.0%
Students submitting ACT score 7.0%
Total number of applicants 1,432 3,705
Total number of admissions given out 1,275 2,373
Admitted students who chose to enroll 218 377
Yield rate 17.1% 15.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $46,096 $41,977
Average net price $19,447 $18,643
Tuition $35,384 $23,521
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,764

Meal plan: $5,500
Room/dormitory: $7,562

Meal plan: $5,528
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $27,496
100.0%
Average amount $21,230
Students receiving federal student loan 55.0%
Average amount $5,303
55.0%
Average amount $5,696
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $14,628
9.0%
Average amount $11,852

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,238
Men 43.1% Women 56.9%
1,259
Men 45.1% Women 54.9%
Graduate students 124
Men 29.8% Women 70.2%
43
Men 69.8% Women 30.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 11.8% N/A
International students 4.3% 1.3%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity 922 1,244
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Texas N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Theology
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 60.3% 60.9%
Dropout rate 8.4% 39.1%
Transferred out 31.2% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,253
  • Year 2: $54,869
  • Year 3: $66,880
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,400
  • Year 2: $40,821
  • Year 3: $47,279
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,818
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $43,207
Business/Corporate Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,669
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $42,839
Sustainability Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,871
  • Year 3: $41,665
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,345
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: $41,265
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,324
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $37,288
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,007
  • Year 3: $27,047
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,516
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,459
  • Year 2: $25,596
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,648
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $36,766
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,250
  • Year 3: $34,401
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,800
  • Year 2: $30,988
  • Year 3: $30,767
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,762
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,775
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,041
  • Year 3: N/A

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