Maine College of Art & Design vs. Thomas College

Comparable Facts

Compare Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME with Thomas College in Waterville, ME on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Thomas College is larger than Maine College of Art & Design based on total student enrollment (1,635 students vs. 475 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Maine College of Art & Design is located in Portland, ME (Small City setting); Thomas College is in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting).
• Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Maine College of Art & Design 8:1; Thomas College 20:1.

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Thomas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maine College of Art & Design or Thomas College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas College than Maine College of Art & Design ($19,126 vs. $39,639).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 18% lower than at Maine College of Art & Design ($14,090 vs. $17,184).
• Maine College of Art & Design is 34.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Thomas College (about $11,118 more per year; $42,942.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 34.9% higher at Maine College of Art & Design than at Thomas College (about $11,118 more per year; $42,942.00 vs. $31,824.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Maine College of Art & Design than at Thomas College (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas College students is 39.1% larger than aid received by Maine College of Art & Design students ($28,212 vs. $20,277).

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Thomas College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Maine College of Art & Design or Thomas College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Thomas College and Maine College of Art & Design.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Maine College of Art & Design - Test-free; Thomas College - Test-free.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than Maine College of Art & Design (76.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Maine College of Art & Design vs. 16.1% at Thomas College.

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Thomas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Maine College of Art & Design and Thomas College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Thomas College's six-year graduation rate (45%) is higher than Maine College of Art & Design's (42%).
• Graduates from Thomas College earn a median of about $9,400 more per year than Maine College of Art & Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Thomas College and Maine College of Art & Design graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Thomas College and Maine College of Art & Design graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Maine College of Art & Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thomas College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.