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Thomas Aquinas College

Thomas Aquinas College

Santa Paula, CA · Rural · 566 students
4
Year
Private Non-profit
Rural
Small (<3k)
Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
About

Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, is best known for its uniquely rigorous curriculum where all students study the Great Books of Western civilization to earn a single, comprehensive Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. Rather than using textbooks or attending lectures, students analyze original texts in theology, philosophy, mathematics, and the natural sciences through collaborative, Socratic-style seminar discussions. The campus culture is defined by a deeply committed and traditional Roman Catholic faith, fostering a tight-knit, distraction-free residential experience where daily Mass, spiritual devotion, and intellectual inquiry are seamlessly integrated. This distinctive model of education entirely bypasses modern specialization, setting the college apart by offering a truly classical, unified pursuit of truth and wisdom.


Wikipedia:Thomas Aquinas College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in the United States with two campuses, one in Santa Paula, California, and one in Northfield, Massachusetts. The college was founded in 1971 and is named for St. Thomas Aquinas, a thirteenth-century scholar and Catholic theologian. All students pursue a Bachelor of Arts centered on a common curriculum.

Location
Santa Paula, CA, 93060 · Rural campus
Nearest airport from college
LAX · Los Angeles
51 mi away
Cost
Cost of attendance
$43,426
Avg net price
$26,196
Room & board
$11,200
Tuition
$30,200
Books & supplies
$76/yr
Average net price by family income
$0–30k
$19,761
$30–48k
$21,236
$48–75k
$20,118
$75–110k
$23,185
$110k+
$29,757
Admissions
Admit rate
83%
Test policy
Required
SAT average
1329
Reading 640730
Math 580670
ACT midpoint
28
Composite 2833
English 3035
Math 2330
SAT range (25th–75th percentile)
40080012001600

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Essay Requirements

This school does not appear to use the Common Application. Check the school's admissions website directly for essay requirements and application instructions.

See the current Common App essay prompts for the personal statement options.

Outcomes
Graduation rate
83%
4-yr on-time completion
83%
1st-yr retention
92%
Transfer-out rate
11%
8-year outcomes
Graduated
85%
Transferred
13%
Still enrolled
0%
Dropped out / unknown
2%
Median earnings (6yr)
$40,605
Median earnings (10yr)
$55,619
Median debt
$18,000
Monthly loan payment
$191
Debt range (25th–75th)
$12,750$18,000
Debt (90th percentile)
$20,250
Student Body
Men 49%Women 51%
11
:
1
Student : Faculty ratio
Students   Faculty
Pell grant recipients
27%
Median family income
$97,358
Avg age at entry
19.0
Part-time students
0%
Race & ethnicity
White
64%
Hispanic
20%
Asian
2%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
7%
Unknown
3%
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings for graduates across all programs
6 years after entry
$40,605
10 years after entry
$55,619
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities102
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Endowment
$31M
Classification
Baccalaureate (Arts & Sciences)
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions
Full-time faculty
99%
Avg faculty salary
$9,628/mo
Instructional spend/student
$17,897
Federal loan rate
67%

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