Head-to-head comparison
Daemen University vs St. Thomas Aquinas College: which has better ROI?
Option A Amherst, NY
Daemen University
- Net price / year
- $18,693
- Earnings, 10 years
- $61,808
- Payback
- 5.6 yrs
Option B Sparkill, NY
St. Thomas Aquinas College
- Net price / year
- $19,994
- Earnings, 10 years
- $62,909
- Payback
- 5.5 yrs
St. Thomas Aquinas College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $79,976 in 5.5 years versus 5.6 years at Daemen University, on median earnings of $62,909 vs $61,808 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Daemen University | St. Thomas Aquinas College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,693 | $19,994 |
| Total net cost | $74,772 | $79,976 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $61,808 | $62,909 |
| Median debt | $22,091 | $23,198 |
| Payback | 5.6 yrs | 5.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $194,188 | $211,004 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Daemen University or St. Thomas Aquinas College?
Daemen University, at $18,693 a year after aid versus $19,994 — a gap of $1,301 a year, or $5,204 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Daemen University or St. Thomas Aquinas College graduates earn more?
St. Thomas Aquinas College graduates report a median $62,909 ten years after entry, $1,101 more than the $61,808 at Daemen University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Daemen University or St. Thomas Aquinas College?
Daemen University: its completers carry a median $22,091 in federal loans versus $23,198 at St. Thomas Aquinas College, a difference of $1,107. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
59% of students finish at Daemen University, against 54% at St. Thomas Aquinas College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.