Students at Thomas Aquinas College benefit from a unique educational approach that combines classical liberal arts rigor with solid long-term financial outcomes.
The college's distinctive great books curriculum and small size create exceptional learning conditions that translate into meaningful career success for graduates.
Thomas Aquinas College is a small private nonprofit institution in Santa Paula, California, offering a unique educational approach centered on great books and classical liberal arts. The college serves a selective student body of fewer than 400 students, creating an intimate academic environment with exceptionally high faculty-to-student ratios and personalized attention that larger institutions cannot match.
Graduates earn a median of $55,619 ten years after enrollment, placing the college in the 76th percentile nationally for long-term earnings outcomes. While this represents solid financial returns, the college's true value lies in its distinctive educational mission and the intellectual formation it provides students through its integrated curriculum of philosophy, theology, mathematics, and natural sciences.
The college maintains a focused academic program where all students follow the same rigorous curriculum, studying primary texts from Aristotle to Einstein. With an 82% six-year graduation rate and strong alumni networks in education, law, and other professional fields, Thomas Aquinas College delivers on its promise of deep intellectual preparation, though families should understand that career outcomes reflect the liberal arts focus rather than pre-professional training.
Thomas Aquinas College operates with a unique educational model where all students complete the same integrated curriculum, officially designated as General Studies but encompassing philosophy, theology, mathematics, literature, history, and natural sciences. This approach means that all 95 recent graduates received identical academic preparation through the great books curriculum, studying primary texts from ancient through modern periods.
The college's strength lies not in program diversity but in the depth and rigor of its unified approach to liberal arts education. Students engage directly with works by Aristotle, Aquinas, Newton, Einstein, and other foundational thinkers, developing critical thinking and analytical skills that translate across multiple career paths. While early career earnings for General Studies graduates average around $30,047, this reflects the liberal arts focus rather than pre-professional training.
Many graduates use their Thomas Aquinas College foundation as preparation for advanced study in law, medicine, education, theology, or business. The intellectual rigor and broad knowledge base gained through the integrated curriculum provides excellent preparation for graduate school and professional programs, where alumni often excel due to their strong analytical and communication skills developed through four years of seminar-style discussions and rigorous academic work.
Thomas Aquinas College graduates achieve solid long-term financial outcomes, with median earnings of $55,619 ten years after enrollment. This places the college in the 76th percentile nationally for earnings, demonstrating that a classical liberal arts education can translate into meaningful career success. Early career earnings start at $40,605 six years out, showing steady income growth as graduates establish themselves in their chosen fields.
The college's single program focus on General Studies reflects its integrated curriculum approach, where all 95 recent graduates completed the same rigorous course of study in philosophy, theology, mathematics, literature, and natural sciences. While this creates consistency in educational experience, career outcomes depend heavily on how individual students apply their liberal arts foundation to specific professional paths. Many graduates pursue advanced degrees in law, medicine, education, or theology, which can significantly enhance long-term earning potential beyond the initial post-graduation figures.
The college's distinctive educational model prepares students for careers requiring critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. Alumni often enter fields such as education, law, business, and nonprofit work, where the intellectual rigor and broad knowledge base gained through the great books curriculum provides a strong foundation for professional advancement and leadership roles.
Thomas Aquinas College offers relatively accessible pricing for a private institution, with net costs varying significantly by family income level. Low-income students pay approximately $16,761 annually, while middle-income families see costs around $19,464 per year. Even high-income families pay $28,063, which remains competitive compared to many private colleges of similar quality and educational approach.
The college's financial aid strategy focuses on making education accessible to students from diverse economic backgrounds, with nearly 20% of students receiving Pell Grants. Federal student loan debt averages $18,000 for borrowers, a manageable level that reflects both the college's efforts to control costs and students' ability to graduate in four years. The absence of Parent PLUS debt in the data suggests that many families can cover their expected contributions through savings, work, or other means rather than additional borrowing.
What makes Thomas Aquinas College particularly sustainable financially is the combination of reasonable debt levels and solid post-graduation earnings. With median earnings of $55,619 ten years out, graduates can comfortably manage the typical $18,000 in federal loans, creating a positive return on investment that justifies the upfront educational costs for most families.
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