Oakland vs. PennWest California

Should I go to Oakland University or PennWest California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oakland or PennWest California 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.

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Oakland University vs. PennWest California comparison
Oakland University PennWest California College 3 College 4
Oakland University PennWest California
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Overview

Oakland PennWest California
Location Rochester Hills, MI California, PA
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 15,922 6,509
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #764 #1038
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oakland.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oakland PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $14,694 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $23,188 $11,574
Room & Board $11,309 $10,416
Avg Net Price $15,734 -
Avg Grant Aid $9,641 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 0%

Admission

Oakland PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,398 -
Admitted 8,708 -
Acceptance Rate 70.2%
Enrolled % 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 995/1185 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

Oakland PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

Oakland PennWest California
Graduation Rate 40% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

Oakland PennWest California
% Men 8% 39%
% Women 12% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Oakland PennWest California
% In-State 96% 86%
% Out-of-State 2% 13%

Campus

Oakland PennWest California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Oakland University is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (15,922 students vs. 6,509 students)

Oakland vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oakland or PennWest California?

  • Oakland University is 90.4% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($14,694.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.3% higher at Oakland than PennWest California ($23,188.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 8.6% lower than costs at Oakland University ($10,416 vs. $11,309)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oakland University than PennWest California (92% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oakland University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($9,641 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is 148 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Oakland students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

Oakland vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oakland or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and Oakland.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Oakland University (53% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Oakland University earn on average $4,200 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California and Oakland graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • PennWest California and Oakland graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 51%)

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