Head-to-head comparison
The Master's University and Seminary vs Thomas Aquinas College: which has better ROI?
Option A Santa Clarita, CA
The Master's University and Seminary
- Net price / year
- $32,647
- Earnings, 10 years
- $57,106
- Payback
- 14.9 yrs
Option B Santa Paula, CA
Thomas Aquinas College
- Net price / year
- $26,196
- Earnings, 10 years
- $55,619
- Payback
- 14.4 yrs
Thomas Aquinas College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $104,784 in 14.4 years versus 14.9 years at The Master's University and Seminary, on median earnings of $55,619 vs $57,106 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The Master's University and Seminary | Thomas Aquinas College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,647 | $26,196 |
| Total net cost | $130,588 | $104,784 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $57,106 | $55,619 |
| Median debt | $20,500 | $18,000 |
| Payback | 14.9 yrs | 14.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $44,332 | $40,396 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, The Master's University and Seminary or Thomas Aquinas College?
Thomas Aquinas College, at $26,196 a year after aid versus $32,647 — a gap of $6,451 a year, or $25,804 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 The Master's University and Seminary or Thomas Aquinas College graduates earn more?
The Master's University and Seminary graduates report a median $57,106 ten years after entry, $1,487 more than the $55,619 at Thomas Aquinas College. 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, The Master's University and Seminary or Thomas Aquinas College?
Thomas Aquinas College: its completers carry a median $18,000 in federal loans versus $20,500 at The Master's University and Seminary, a difference of $2,500. 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?
84% of students finish at Thomas Aquinas College, against 68% at The Master's University and Seminary. 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.