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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
College Soars into Top 10 in Annual Kiplinger Rankings
A perennial top performer in Kiplinger Personal Finance’s annual college rankings, Thomas Aquinas College has jumped several spots — into the Top 10 Best Values in U.S. Colleges, or as the magazine describes it, “the crème de la crème” of its newly published guide, Top 300 Best College Values of 2017.
“Thomas Aquinas College’s sticker price — which is about half that of many private colleges on our best values list — and generous financial aid awards propel this pint-sized, Catholic liberal arts college up 15 places on this year’s combined best values list,” writes Kiplinger. The magazine ranks the College No. 7 in the country among all colleges and universities, up from No. 22 in 2016, and No. 4 among private, liberal arts schools — an eight-point leap from its No. 12 ranking last year.
“With our rankings — which weigh affordability alongside academic quality — our goal is to help students and their parents understand what’s really worth the price,” says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. “All 300 schools on the list are of extraordinary value, being chosen out of a universe of 1,200.”
Introduced in 1998, the Kiplinger guide emphasizes value, restricting its analysis to measurable standards of academic quality and affordability. To gauge academic quality, the editors look at admission rates, the percentage of students who return for sophomore year, student-faculty ratios, and the four-year graduation rates. In determining affordability, they consider sticker prices, financial aid, average debt at graduation, and students’ median earnings 10 years post-graduation.
“Thomas Aquinas combines a classic curriculum with a religious emphasis that adheres to the morals and traditions of the Catholic Church,” the authors write. “A tuition freeze that has been in place since the 2013-14 academic year and will continue through at least the 2017-18 academic year has kept the school’s annual sticker price, including room and board, from climbing. And yet few families will pay the sticker price,” the story explains, as more than 70 percent of the College’s students receive need-based financial aid.
“We are gratified to see our rankings, which were already strong, climb into the top echelon on the Kiplinger list,” says Thomas Aquinas College Director of Admissions Jon Daly. “It is an encouraging sign that we are succeeding in our efforts to maintain a truly excellent program of Catholic liberal education that is affordable for all families.”
Since its founding, Thomas Aquinas College has maintained a policy of never turning away a student on the basis of financial need. It also caps student debt at $18,000 over four years. “We are deeply grateful to the College’s many generous benefactors who, through their gifts, provide the financial aid that allows our students to attend the College without taking on exorbitant levels of student debt,” adds Mr. Daly. “This latest honor, as well as many others, is a testament to their loyalty.”
In addition to the high rankings from Kiplinger, the College has earned top marks from other secular guides, including the Princeton Review, ACTA, and U.S. News & World Report, as well as Catholic publications such as the Cardinal Newman Society and National Catholic Register.