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Compare Aquinas College vs College for Creative Studies

Grand Rapids, MI · Detroit, MI

Aquinas CollegeCollege for Creative Studies
Cost
Price after aid (average)$16,626/yr$34,617/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$10,725/yr$30,267/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$23,000$26,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$11,222/yr$33,152/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$13,594/yr$33,647/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$15,468/yr$33,667/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$21,093/yr$38,580/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$244/mo$276/mo
Room & board (on campus)$11,680/yr$15,272/yr
Room & board (off campus)$11,282/yr$13,539/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,133/yr$2,144/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$2,231/yr$3,381/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$51,652/yr$66,014/yr
Tuition (in-state)$40,218/yr$53,350/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$40,218/yr$53,350/yr
Students with Pell Grants24%30%
Students taking federal loans69%52%
Getting in
Students who get accepted90%92%
SAT range (middle 50%)910–1140No data reported
SAT average1025No data reported
ACT range (middle 50%)20–26No data reported
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 21–25 · Math 15–26No data reported
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received2,2911,132
Students accepted1,6281,050
Students who enrolled296262
Accepted students who enroll18%25%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores48%No data reported
Enrolled who sent ACT scores5%No data reported
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredNot considered
Recommendation lettersNot consideredNot considered
Class rankNot consideredNot considered
College-prep programNot consideredNot considered
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredRequired
Work experienceNot consideredNot considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate65%71%
Freshmen who come back78%82%
Typical earnings 10 years in$49,584/yr$44,860/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$32,142–$70,335$22,591–$75,526
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)63%63%
White students graduating66%71%
Black students graduating55%89%
Hispanic students graduating70%77%
Asian students graduating71%90%
Typical earnings 6 years in$40,161/yr$33,691/yr
Earn more than a HS grad69%68%
Graduate on time47%49%
Pell students who graduate62%70%
First-gen students who finish53%57%
Low-income students who finish45%58%
Students who transfer out27%14%
Typical earnings 8 years in$46,514/yr$44,290/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 27% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 10% · Education 9%Visual & Performing Arts 41% · Communications Technologies 26% · Engineering Technologies 21%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 27% of degreesVisual & Performing Arts — 41% of degrees
2nd most popular programParks, Recreation & Fitness — 10% of degreesCommunications Technologies — 26% of degrees
3rd most popular programEducation — 9% of degreesEngineering Technologies — 21% of degrees
4th most popular programHealth Professions — 9% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees
5th most popular programPsychology — 8% of degreesMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 3% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Accounting and Related Services — $63,311/yrDesign and Applied Arts — $32,665/yr
Degrees in STEM9.5%28%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment1,0831,230
Students per professor10 : 110 : 1
Graduate students6957
Average professor pay$6,660/mo$10,972/mo
Full-time professors51%100%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$65,630$61,518
SettingCity (midsize)City (large)
LocationGrand Rapids, MIDetroit, MI
RegionGreat LakesGreat Lakes
Founded18861906
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Private (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationBaccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences FocusSpecial Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music & Design Schools
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students4.4%7.5%
Men48%32%
Women52%68%
White students74%50%
Black students2.7%13%
Hispanic or Latino students9.3%5.9%
Asian students1.6%5.1%
Two or more races5.5%5.4%
Other / not reported2.9%13%
Special typeReligiously affiliatedNone
First-generation students22%23%
Part-time students7.3%11%
Students age 25+5.2%9.9%
Spent on teaching per student$8,672/yr$15,709/yr
Endowment$46.7M$90.9M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing698626
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$5,102/yr$8,140/yr
Meal plan charge$6,750/yr$2,900/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekNo data reportedVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Religious affiliationRoman CatholicNo data reported
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesNo
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineNoNo
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingNoNo
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-25No data reported
College sports levelNAIA Division IINo intercollegiate athletics reported
Football teamNoNo data reported
Varsity teams26No data reported
Student athletes700No data reported
Athletic scholarships$2.2MNo data reported
Athletics budget$6.9MNo data reported
Athletics revenue$6.9MNo data reported
Recruiting spend$73,331No data reported

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.