Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, California · Private Nonprofit · 83.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 54/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Thomas Aquinas College scores 54 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale, a result that reflects a structural mismatch between the school's $26,196 net price and its $30,300 average 6-year earnings - producing an 11.9-year payback period. The college offers a single curriculum: a Great Books-based Liberal Arts and Sciences program enrolling 102 graduates per Scorecard cohort. That program earns a C+ grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.538. The 84.3% completion rate is a genuine strength and the best sub-score in the profile. At year four the same graduates report $49,898, indicating earnings growth, and 10-year median earnings reach $55,619 - suggesting the liberal arts foundation eventually translates to mid-career earnings, but the near-term financial picture is weak. The repayment rate is imputed (Scorecard did not provide sufficient cohort data for 1-year or 3-year repayment figures); the available 5-year repayment rate of 92.8% is encouraging but should be interpreted cautiously. The school enrolls 566 students in Santa Paula, California.
Thomas Aquinas College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $30,200/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $30,200/yr |
| Average net price | $26,196/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $104,784 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,619 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $191 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 84.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 566 |
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: $30,200/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $26,196/year, or roughly $104,784 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 $19,761/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,757/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,000, which works out to about $191 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($30,300) and comes to 0.59, 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 | $19,761 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,236 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,118 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,185 |
| $110,001+ | $29,757 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $19,761 per year at Thomas Aquinas College - $79,044 over four years if completed. Against $30,300 average 6-year earnings, the payback period exceeds a decade. The aid discount relative to sticker tuition is meaningful. Low-income students considering TAC should have a clear plan for post-graduation employment or graduate school funding.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $20,118 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $23,185 - costs that produce roughly the same 11-12 year payback math as the school average. The Liberal Arts degree's career pathways - teaching, nonprofit work, law school, government - are diverse but rarely high-earning immediately. Middle-income families should model the earnings trajectory honestly rather than relying on the 10-year median alone.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay $29,757 per year at TAC - close to sticker. Four-year all-in cost approaches $119,000. For high-income families who value the Great Books model and plan to fund graduate education separately, this is a deliberate choice with understood trade-offs. For families expecting the undergraduate degree to produce strong near-term financial returns, the numbers do not support that expectation.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Thomas Aquinas College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $49,898 | C+ |
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.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences is the only program Thomas Aquinas College offers, with 102 graduates in the Scorecard cohort. Year-one earnings of $33,432 and year-four earnings of $49,898 produce a C+ ROI grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.538. Median debt of $18,000 is moderate but significant against $33k starting earnings. The 10-year institutional median of $55,619 suggests the credential supports mid-career growth. Students who intend to pursue graduate or professional school after TAC should factor in additional training costs; the Scorecard earnings picture captures those in the workforce, not those still in graduate programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 92.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How 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 | 83.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-670 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 640-730 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 28-33 |
| Enrollment | 566 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 26.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,628 |
At 83.1% admission, Thomas Aquinas College accepts the large majority of applicants. The selective-seeming SAT/ACT ranges (ACT 28-33) reflect the self-selection of applicants attracted to an integrated Great Books curriculum, not admission gatekeeping. The school's single-program model means every admitted student follows the same course of study; the admission process screens for intellectual fit rather than disciplinary concentration.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The completion rate is 84.3%, but earnings do not compensate for the cost structure.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Aquinas College (this school) | 54 | $26,196 | $55,619 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Northwest University | 60 | $22,288 | $54,914 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
| Bryan College-Dayton | 54 | $20,614 | $54,434 |
| Pillar College | 47 | $8,470 | $45,577 |
Who Thrives Here
Thomas Aquinas College admits 83.1% of applicants and enrolls 566 students. SAT mid-ranges are 580-670 Math and 640-730 Reading; ACT composite 28-33, skewing toward strong verbal and humanities aptitude, consistent with the Great Books curriculum. Pell grant rate of 26.7% indicates a meaningful share of lower-income students. Students who choose TAC are self-selecting for a specific intellectual formation, not a vocational or professional credential.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Thomas Aquinas College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $26,196 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $55,619 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 11.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: its 84.3% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost.
Median debt of $18,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Thomas Aquinas College: Common Questions
Is Thomas Aquinas College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Thomas Aquinas College scores 54/100 on our ROI scale. At $26,196 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $55,619 ten years after entry, so it takes about 11.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does 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 $26,196 a year, or roughly $104,784 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 Thomas Aquinas College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $55,619 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,819 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 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 11.9 years for Thomas Aquinas College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Thomas Aquinas College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,000, against average earnings of $30,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Thomas Aquinas College?
The six-year graduation rate is 84.3%, 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.