Alma College vs Aquinas College
Side-by-side college ROI comparison from College Scorecard data
Verdict
Alma College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Aquinas College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Alma College at $27,135 vs Aquinas College at $23,674. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $55,900 vs $53,150.
| Metric | Alma College | Aquinas College |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| School Type | Private | Private |
| State | Mi | Mi |
| Avg Median Debt Average median debt across all tracked majors | $27,135 | $23,674* |
| Avg 1yr Earnings Average first-year earnings across all tracked majors | $55,900* | $53,150 |
| Majors Tracked | 20 | 20 |
| Best ROI Major | Computer Science (95/100) | Mathematics (96/100)* |
| Best Major Debt | $22,950 | $20,023* |
| Best Major 1yr Earnings | $95,000* | $78,000 |
Alma College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Aquinas College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Alma College at $27,135 vs Aquinas College at $23,674. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $55,900 vs $53,150.
Explore More
Alma College and Aquinas College graduate students at similar rates — 100.0% and 100.0% respectively. With completion rates comparable, the comparison reduces to cost, earnings, and program mix; the institutional-effect-on-completion question essentially nets out.
Average median debt is roughly even across Alma College and Aquinas College. The cost side of the comparison effectively cancels out; the meaningful question becomes whether the program mix and the earnings outcomes differ enough to break the tie.
Earnings outcomes track closely — Alma College and Aquinas College graduates report similar first-year wages. The school decision in cases like this is usually decided on non-financial axes (program quality, geography, fit) since the ROI math runs close enough to be inside the noise.
Both schools sit in Mi, which simplifies the in-state-vs-out-of-state tuition question and aligns the regional labor markets students will enter post-graduation. Cross-school comparisons within the same state should weight program mix and employer-pipeline depth heavily — the cost-of-living and labor-market backdrop is effectively held constant, so program-level differences are the differentiator.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2026.