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Caltech UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI Colorado School of Mines UC Merced| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Thomas Aquinas College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Paula, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 516 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | thomasaquinas.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $27,000 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $9,900 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $24,217 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $14,211 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 57% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 262 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 222 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 84.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 62.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1220/1410 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $45,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 90% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $17,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $175 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 48% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 52% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 63% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Thomas Aquinas College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 516 students)
Cal Poly vs. Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Thomas Aquinas College?
- Thomas Aquinas College is 370.2% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($27,000.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at Thomas Aquinas College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($27,000.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than Thomas Aquinas College ($19,184 vs. $24,217)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Aquinas College are 66.2% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($9,900 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Aquinas College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Aquinas College students is 41.2% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,211 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Thomas Aquinas College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Thomas Aquinas College or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at Thomas Aquinas College (1280) is 21 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming Thomas Aquinas College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Cal Poly (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Thomas Aquinas College (3.8)
- Thomas Aquinas College has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Thomas Aquinas College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Thomas Aquinas College and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Thomas Aquinas College (75% vs. 69%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $23,700 more per year than Thomas Aquinas College graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $45,700)
- Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $1,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($17,000 vs. $18,666)
- Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($175 vs. $193)
- More Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal Poly students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 85%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/