Kiplinger ranks Thomas Aquinas College in top 10 for “Lowest Sticker Price”

News release from Thomas Aquinas College

SANTA PAULA — One of the nation’s most trusted publishers of business forecasts and personal finance advice, Kiplinger has ranked Thomas Aquinas College on its “Top 10” list of private colleges with the lowest sticker price. Only those institutions already ranked as a “Best Value” by Kiplinger were eligible for this new ranking.

“You don’t have to pay a fortune… to attend a top-quality private college or university,” says Kiplinger in introducing these Top 10 schools, each of which offers a tuition price tag well below the average of $37,000 for private college tuition.

With rankings such as this one, Kiplinger helps families identify institutions that are both academically strong and affordable. This year, it is taking into account factors such as student debt, retention rates, and graduation rates, all of which impact the total cost of a college degree. 

Says Thomas Aquinas College’s director of admissions, Jon Daly, “We are proud of the fact that tuition, room and board at Thomas Aquinas College come to just over $30,000, especially here in California where the cost of living is among the highest in the nation.”

He adds that “Of special note is that we have the second lowest student debt among the 10 colleges with the lowest sticker price. All of this makes Thomas Aquinas College a great value.”

From its inception, the 4-year, Catholic college has had two commitments: (1) that it would accept no direct government funding, lest it be forced to compromise its Catholic character; and (2) that no qualified student ever be turned away simply for lack of financial resources.

Says President Michael F. McLean, “Our many benefactors have helped us keep both commitments by bridging the gap between what our students and their families can pay and the actual cost of this education. Because of their generosity, our students are able to avail themselves of the unique program of Catholic liberal education we offer; and they are not encumbered by crushing debt at graduation.”

For more information about this report from Kiplinger, please visit www.kiplinger.com. To see more rankings and reviews about Thomas Aquinas College please visit www.thomasaquinas.edu/college-reviews.

 

READER COMMENTS

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 4:34 AM By Betty
Cost is not the only consideration when choosing a Catholic College or University. Faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church is critical. Many colleges and universities call themselves “Catholic” when they are heretical or schismatic. Always check to find out if they use the CCC as one of their required texts for freshman or sophomores, and use the Newman Guide to Catholic Colleges. If I remember correctly, TAC in Santa Paula is one of the Newman recommended colleges.

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 6:46 AM By Catholic Joe
Please support TAC. Even if you just buy a baseball cap or sweatshirt! It is a gem!! I grew up nearby and in high school attended guest speaker symposiums! Impressive. It’s the real thing!

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:47 AM By Catherine
I just read where extremely expensive Columbia University will give credits for sending students with their professor to Occupy locations. For that hefty price tag it would be better if these students occupied the seat of a local Junior College for two years and learned to occupy the value of not wasting their parent’s hard earned money. The best things in life are often free, such as a great big smile. Blessed Mother Teresa said that a smile could shine the Light of Christ into the eyes of a stranger. Even Kiplinger recognizes that Thomas Aquinas College is shining that Light of Christ into the eyes of many new students with the lowest sticker price. May God continue to bless this exceptional, yet still less expensive college because it is truly a light on the hill.

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 8:23 AM By jayptee
My son is soph at TAC. What an incredible school! We turned down a number of full ride academic scholarships elsewhere for the privilege of paying for a TAC education. And it is worth every penny.

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 9:00 AM By JLS
They send out a quarterly full color pictorial account of school, staff and students … worth receiving.

Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:45 PM By VirgoPotens
Congrats to TAC on this great honor. Another one for parents and students to look into is Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. Christendom offers rigorous academics and a truly Catholic campus life, with a total cost of yearly attendance around $26,000.

Posted Wednesday, January 04, 2012 4:11 PM By Abeca Christian
VirgoPotens way to go! Great recommendation! I too have heard great things of Christendom College!