Aquinas College
Grand Rapids, Michigan · Private Nonprofit · 89.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 44/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Aquinas College scores 44 (Below Benchmark). The school charges $40,218 in tuition against a $16,626 average net price, and delivers $32,000 average 6-year earnings with a 14.2-year payback period. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.719 means graduates owe 72 cents per dollar of annual earnings. Most programs here earn C to D ROI grades. Students who cannot bring net price below $15,000 through aid face an uphill financial battle with most program choices at Aquinas.
How Aquinas College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score44/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Aquinas College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,218/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,218/yr |
| Average net price | $16,626/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,504 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,584 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $244 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 65.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,083 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $40,218/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $16,626/year, or roughly $66,504 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,725/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,093/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,000, which works out to about $244 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,000) and comes to 0.72, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,725 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,222 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,594 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,468 |
| $110,001+ | $21,093 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,725 net per year - about $43,000 over four years. At $32,000 average earnings, low-income graduates face a payback extending well beyond a decade. The 65.4% completion rate means roughly one in three students who enroll do not finish, generating debt without the degree premium.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $13,594 net and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $15,468. At these prices, the financial case is more defensible for students targeting accounting or business. But most programs at Aquinas do not produce earnings that justify even $13,000-$15,000 annual net costs for middle-income families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $21,093 net per year - about $84,000 over four years. High-income families who value Aquinas's specific Catholic liberal arts environment may find non-financial reasons to attend, but the earnings data does not support this investment on financial terms alone.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Aquinas College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $74,404 | C |
| Teacher Education | $45,713 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $51,806 | D |
| Psychology | $45,698 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $46,148 | D |
| Accounting | $76,274 | - |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $49,378 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,075 | C |
| Sustainability Studies | $60,285 | - |
| Biology | $51,002 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Accounting
Accounting (12 graduates) earns $63,311 at year one and $76,274 at year four - Aquinas's strongest earnings by a significant margin. No debt-to-earnings data is reported for this program. The small cohort limits data reliability, but accounting graduates in the Grand Rapids business market command competitive wages. This is the one program at Aquinas that produces strong near-term outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (46 graduates) earns $44,913 at year one and $74,404 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.579 (ROI grade C) and $26,000 median debt. The four-year trajectory to $74k is workable for students who enter regional management or sales roles. Business is Aquinas's largest program by volume with defensible, if unexciting, returns.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (35 graduates) earns $45,713 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.613 (ROI grade C) and $28,000 median debt. Michigan teacher salaries in the K-12 market are modest at entry, and the debt load here is high relative to starting wages. Education graduates who stay in Michigan public schools will see salary growth, but early-career financial strain is real.
Psychology
Psychology (18 graduates) earns $31,789 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.849 (ROI grade D) and $27,000 median debt. Psychology at Aquinas's price point is a poor financial bet without a clear path to graduate school. Year-one earnings near $32k against $27k in debt is a difficult starting position.
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Rhetoric and Composition (4 graduates) earns $17,827 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.506 (ROI grade F) and $26,844 median debt. This is the worst-performing program at Aquinas: graduates owe 1.5 times their annual salary. Writing and communication skills are valuable, and graduates here carry $26,844 in median debt against $17,827 in year-one earnings.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 70.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Aquinas College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 89.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-550 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 470-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-26 |
| Enrollment | 1,083 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,660 |
A 89.9% acceptance rate with ACT 20-26 makes Aquinas broadly accessible - near-open-access admissions. Admission is not a hurdle here; financial aid packaging and program choice are the binding decisions.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquinas College (this school) | 44 | $16,626 | $49,584 |
| Albion College | 65 | $14,301 | $58,799 |
| Georgetown College | 47 | $14,095 | $52,074 |
| Lakeland University | 44 | $24,212 | $55,961 |
| La Sierra University | 41 | $45,566 | $61,824 |
| Adrian College | 39 | $25,368 | $55,504 |
Who Thrives Here
Aquinas admits 89.9% of applicants with ACT 20-26 mid-range and SAT 440-550 Math. The 1,083-student enrollment is small. Aquinas attracts students who value a Catholic liberal arts environment in the Grand Rapids area.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Aquinas College scores 44/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,626 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,584 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Aquinas College: Common Questions
Is Aquinas College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Aquinas College scores 44/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,626 a year after aid against $49,584 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Aquinas College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $16,626 a year, or roughly $66,504 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Aquinas College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,584 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,784 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Aquinas College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 14.2 years for Aquinas College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Aquinas College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,000, against average earnings of $32,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Aquinas College?
The six-year graduation rate is 65.4%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.