Thomas Aquinas College vs University of Mary (UMary)

Thomas Aquinas College and University of Mary, both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. Thomas Aquinas College, a private liberal arts college in California, boasts a rigorous curriculum centered on the Great Books and a low acceptance rate of 38%. Its student body is predominantly White (79%) and male (61%), with a small international student population (1%). In contrast, University of Mary, a private Catholic university in North Dakota, offers a wider range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including popular majors like nursing, business, and education. With an acceptance rate of 84%, University of Mary attracts a more diverse student body, with a higher percentage of female (58%) and minority students (28%). While Thomas Aquinas College prides itself on its 100% graduation rate, University of Mary's graduation rate stands at 63%. Explore the comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations.
Thomas Aquinas College logo

Thomas Aquinas College

University of Mary logo

University of Mary

Overview

Location Santa Paula, California Bismarck, North Dakota
Campus setting Rural: Distant Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 77.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.1% 78.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $45
SAT range 1180 - 1370 N/A
ACT range 25 - 30 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 34.0%
Students submitting ACT score 19.0%
Total number of applicants 261 1,532
Total number of admissions given out 217 1,207
Admitted students who chose to enroll 131 510
Yield rate 60.4% 42.3%
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) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $48,062 $35,370
Average net price $22,631 $19,474
Tuition $26,000 $18,340
Room & board $9,400
Room/dormitory: $3,690

Meal plan: $4,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

71.0%
Average amount $13,973
100.0%
Average amount $11,954
Students receiving federal student loan 69.0%
Average amount $3,590
65.0%
Average amount $5,176
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $7,167
20.0%
Average amount $10,222

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 497
Men 49.7% Women 50.3%
2,579
Men 41.5% Women 58.5%
Graduate students N/A 1,215
Men 30.4% Women 69.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 64.5%
International students 5.4% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 659 1,325
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A North Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin California Montana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 85.9% 64.3%
Dropout rate 3.8% 31.5%
Transferred out 9.0% 2.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,750
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $34,459
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,755
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $91,441
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,785
  • Year 2: $60,230
  • Year 3: $65,123
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,166
  • Year 2: $54,359
  • Year 3: $62,069
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,298
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $59,512
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,302
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,222
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,750
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,621
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,370
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: N/A

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