St. Thomas Aquinas College
Sparkill, New York · Private Nonprofit · 93.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
St. Thomas Aquinas College earns a 62 ROI score, in the Fair Value tier. Published tuition is $39,450 and net price drops to $19,994 after substantial institutional aid, putting four-year total at $79,976. Ten-year median earnings of $62,909 produce a 34.9 percent earnings premium - strong by small-private standards and especially good for a school in the high-cost NYC metro. Median federal debt is moderate at $23,198, debt-to-earnings is 0.637, and payback runs just 7.9 years. Completion rate is 54 percent and repayment is decent at 72.6 percent three years out, climbing to 77.9 percent at seven years - alumni are making principal progress over time. Pell rate is low at 21.6 percent, indicating a relatively affluent commuter-driven student body. Enrollment is just 972. STAC offers a small-college Catholic education within easy commuting distance of NYC, and graduates appear to be reaching NYC-metro labor markets effectively.
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,450/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,450/yr |
| Average net price | $19,994/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $79,976 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,909 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,198 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 972 |
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: $39,450/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,994/year, or roughly $79,976 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 $11,746/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,333/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,198, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,400) and comes to 0.64, 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 | $11,746 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,700 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,110 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,907 |
| $110,001+ | $27,333 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,746 per year net, about $47,000 over four. Pell plus New York TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) closes a meaningful share; the remainder typically requires Direct loan borrowing. Given $63K median earnings, the math works for low-income graduates who finish in 4 years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001 to $75,000 face a sharp jump to $24,110. The discontinuity between the $30,001-$48,000 bracket ($13,700) and $48,001-$75,000 ($24,110) is steep. Middle-income families face the worst effective deal at STAC.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $27,333 per year, about $109,300 over four years. Close to the high-bracket published sticker. Affluent families get less institutional discounting; they essentially fund the lower-income aid pool via differential pricing. The earnings outcome ($63K) makes this an acceptable but not great value at full freight.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at St. Thomas Aquinas College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $60,409 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,373 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,075 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,707 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $57,112 | - |
| Accounting | $79,896 | - |
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.
Psychology
Psychology is the largest program with 37 graduates. One-year earnings of $28,310 climb dramatically to $60,409 by year four against $23,000 debt - a 0.812 ratio and D grade. The four-year earnings jump strongly suggests graduates pursue masters and PhD work in clinical, school, and counseling psychology, with the higher figure reflecting post-degree earnings. Standard psych BA trajectory, but the New York labor market for licensed clinicians supports the pathway well.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology produces 32 graduates with four-year earnings of $45,373. Debt is not reported. Standard kinesiology trajectory in the NYC metro area: pathway typically requires DPT or OT graduate programs for professional pay.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 21 graduates with four-year earnings of $64,075. NYC and Hudson Valley business employers absorb this pipeline reliably. Standard general business credential with reasonable mid-career trajectory in the high-wage NYC metro. Debt data not reported, but at the school's overall median of $23,198, the financial structure works.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 17 students with one-year earnings of $27,997 climbing to $57,707 by year four. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.893 ratio and D grade. The four-year earnings jump suggests graduates moving into NYPD, NY state police, federal law-enforcement, or court-system roles with civil-service pay scales. NYC-area CJ outcomes can be genuinely strong; the rebound figure here supports that.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication produces 12 graduates with one-year earnings of $28,480 climbing to $57,112 by year four. The four-year jump reflects NYC-metro media and PR employer access. Without reported debt, the financial pathway is unclear, but at school median debt levels the ratio runs around 0.4 to 0.5 - C-range financial outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 72.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How St. Thomas 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 | 93.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-565 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-520 |
| Enrollment | 972 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,579 |
STAC admits 93.1 percent of applicants - essentially open admission. SAT mid-range is roughly 880 to 1085 with no ACT data. The completion rate is 54 percent. STAC's small size and personalized advising appear to help marginally-prepared students finish at rates higher than their incoming credentials would predict.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Thomas Aquinas College (this school) | 62 | $19,994 | $62,909 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Baker University | 65 | $25,301 | $63,855 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
Who Thrives Here
STAC fits Hudson Valley and northern Bergen County (NJ) commuter students seeking a small Catholic liberal-arts experience with strong NYC-metro job-market connections. Enrollment of 972 keeps cohorts intimate; the 21.6 percent Pell rate indicates a largely middle-class enrolled population. Strongest outcomes appear in accounting ($79K four-year earnings) and the business/psychology pipelines feeding into NYC employers.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
St. Thomas Aquinas College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $19,994 a year after aid ($79,976 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $62,909 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $23,198 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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.
St. Thomas Aquinas College: Common Questions
Is St. Thomas Aquinas College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether St. Thomas Aquinas College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,994 a year after aid ($79,976 over four years) against $62,909 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does St. Thomas 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 $19,994 a year, or roughly $79,976 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 St. Thomas Aquinas College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $62,909 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,109 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 St. Thomas 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 7.9 years for St. Thomas Aquinas College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do St. Thomas Aquinas College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,198, against average earnings of $36,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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 St. Thomas Aquinas College?
The six-year graduation rate is 54.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.