College statistics
- Address:
- 180 W River Rd
Waterville, ME
04901 - Sector Group:
- Private Not-for-Profit 4-Year or Above
- Official Website:
- www.thomas.edu/
- Setting:
- Town
- Annual In-State Tuition:
- $30,718
- Annual Out-of-State Tuition:
- $30,718
- Room and Board:
- $14,090
- Acceptance Rate:
- 97.1%
- Endowment (End of Year):
- $25,337,861
- Research Activity Tier:
- No research designation
- Economic Mobility Index:
- Higher Access, Lower Earnings
- Primary Undergraduate Major:
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Thomas College is a private, not-for-profit four-year college located in Waterville, a small town in central Maine. The school serves students looking for a more accessible, hands-on educational experience without the competitive admissions process of larger universities. With an open admissions philosophy, Thomas prioritizes getting students in the door and helping them succeed rather than filtering for test scores.
The college enrolls 1,669 students and costs $30,896 per year for tuition, with room and board adding another $13,678, bringing the total cost of attendance to $48,274 annually. That's a reasonable price point for a private college, though you'll want to factor in what financial aid the school actually offers when you apply. The college has an endowment of about $8.5 million, which is modest but shows some institutional stability.
Thomas has a 51.4% six-year graduation rate, which is honest to acknowledge—it's below where you'd hope it to be. The school accepts 97% of applicants, so admission isn't the barrier; completion is. This suggests Thomas works best for students who are self-motivated, have clear career goals, or benefit from smaller class sizes and direct faculty attention. If you're looking for a no-pressure entry point to a four-year degree with a focus on job readiness, it's worth a conversation. If you're counting on high graduation rates or a prestigious name, look elsewhere.