University of St Thomas

Academic life is explicitly structured around the themes of "truth, meaning, and human responsibility." The curriculum is grounded in a Catholic intellectual tradition, which manifests in a specific, required Core Curriculum for all undergraduates. A defining feature of the St. Thomas academic experience is that all students are required to take a philosophy course and a theology course each academic year. This consistent engagement with foundational questions is a cornerstone of the university's identity.

All classes are taught by faculty members, not teaching assistants. The most popular majors for graduates cluster in professional fields, with Health Professions and Related Programs accounting for 48% of 2024 graduates, followed by Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. The university offers a range of undergraduate majors and minors across Arts, Business, Education, and Health Professions.

Campus life is described as "vibrant," filled with events, activities, and championship-level athletics. However, it is primarily a commuter campus; only 21% of students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing, while 79% live off-campus. This creates a dynamic where much of the community-building happens during scheduled events.

Students have extensive opportunities to build connections through a robust roster of over 120 student clubs and organizations, which include cultural groups and interest-based activities. The Campus Life department and student groups regularly host events such as cultural dinners, yoga sessions, excursions, and social gatherings—often promoted with incentives like free food and swag—to engage students and help them explore new interests. These activities are designed to enhance leadership skills and foster meaningful relationships outside the classroom.

The University of St. Thomas reports strong employment outcomes for its graduates. For the 2020-2021 graduating class, the university announced a 96% employment rate for graduates who reported finding a job related to their field of study. More recent knowledge rates (the percentage of graduates for whom post-graduation status is known) have been reported at 78.2% for 2021, 63.7% for 2022, and 59.0% for 2023.

Specific program outcomes highlight the earning potential of certain majors. For example, reported median earnings for recent graduates in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering were $91,001, in Economics were $76,601, and in Education were $57,746. The six-year graduation rate places the institution in the top 30% nationally.

The University of St. Thomas is committed to providing a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loan programs. Demonstrated financial need is calculated as the difference between the cost of attendance and the amount the student and family can reasonably contribute. The university encourages students to pursue all possibilities for scholarships, grants, and federal work-study before considering alternative loans.

A significant proportion of the student body receives grant or scholarship aid. The university offers several merit-based scholarships, including some full-tuition awards. Prospective students are directed to use the university's Net Price Calculator to estimate their individual scholarship and financial aid eligibility for the upcoming academic year.

The University of St. Thomas carves out a distinctive niche through its unwavering commitment to integrating Catholic intellectual tradition into the daily fabric of undergraduate education. This isn't a school with merely a religious affiliation; it's one that requires every student, regardless of major, to enroll in both a philosophy and a theology course each and every academic year. This creates a shared intellectual journey and a common language around questions of truth and meaning that is rare in American higher education.

It pairs this deeply philosophical core with a pragmatic, accessible admissions approach and a focus on career-oriented majors like Health Professions and Business. The result is an institution that serves a specific student: one seeking a values-based education with clear professional pathways, within a vibrant but largely commuter campus community in a major city. Its high reported employment rates for graduates suggest this combination effectively meets the goals of its student body.