Thomas Aquinas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Thomas Aquinas College charges a net price of $26,196/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $104,784. Graduates earn a median $55,619 ten years after entry, $7,259/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 14.4 years — a 20-year net return of $40,396, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Thomas Aquinas College's 14.4-year payback ranks #946 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 26% of them, and #106 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $26,196/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $104,784 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $55,619 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $7,259/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 14.4 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $40,396 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Thomas Aquinas College's own numbers. Net price $26,196 × 4 years = $104,784 total. Median earnings $55,619 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $7,259 a year of premium. $104,784 ÷ $7,259 = 14.4 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $40,396. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with?
A median $18,000 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $55,619 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Thomas Aquinas College students graduate?
84% finish their degree. Spread the $104,784 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $124,743 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Thomas Aquinas College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $26,196 net price runs $6,291 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $25,164 more across the full degree.