California Lutheran University vs. UC Davis

Should I go to California Lutheran University or University of California Davis? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California Lutheran University or UC Davis is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD UCSB UCI UCSC UC Berkeley UW-Seattle Cal Poly UCLA UC Merced SCU UC Riverside San Jose State
California Lutheran University vs. University of California Davis comparison
California Lutheran University University of California Davis College 3 College 4
California Lutheran University University of California Davis
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Davis, CA
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,615 39,679
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #347 #92
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu ucdavis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Tuition (In State) $47,500 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $47,500 $41,636
Room & Board $15,490 $17,692
Avg Net Price $30,416 $17,385
Avg Grant Aid $30,597 $20,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 57%

Admission

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,150 94,747
Admitted 4,490 35,377
Acceptance Rate 87.2% 37.3%
Enrolled % 13.4% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/30 25/33
SAT Range 1150/1320 1160/1400
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)

Outcomes

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Graduation Rate 64% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $65,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $14,676
Median Loan Payment $237 $151

Diversity

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 28%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 27% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
% In-State 80% 75%
% Out-of-State 17% 7%

Campus

 California Lutheran University UC Davis
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Davis is larger than than California Lutheran University based on total student enrollment (39,679 students vs. 3,615 students)

California Lutheran University vs. UC Davis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or UC Davis?

  • California Lutheran University is 310.8% more expensive to attend than UC Davis for in-state tuition ($47,500.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at California Lutheran University than University of California Davis ($47,500.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than California Lutheran University ($17,385 vs. $30,416)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Lutheran University are 14.2% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($15,490 vs. $17,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than University of California Davis (99% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 48.9% larger than aid received University of California Davis ($30,597 vs. $20,548)

California Lutheran University vs. UC Davis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California Lutheran University or UC Davis? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Davis or California Lutheran University .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Davis (1226) is 117 points higher than at California Lutheran University (1109)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at California Lutheran University (25)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at California Lutheran University (3.73)
  • California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (87.2%) than UC Davis (37.3%)

California Lutheran University vs. UC Davis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California Lutheran University or UC Davis? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC Davis and California Lutheran University.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than California Lutheran University (82% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $7,300 more per year than California Lutheran University graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $57,900)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $8,324 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($14,676 vs. $23,000)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($151 vs. $237)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Lutheran University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/