Pepperdine vs. Holy Cross

Should I go to Pepperdine University or College of the Holy Cross? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or Holy Cross 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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Pepperdine University vs. College of the Holy Cross comparison
Pepperdine University College of the Holy Cross College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University College of the Holy Cross
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Overview

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Location Malibu, CA Worcester, MA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 10,030 3,083
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #86
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu holycross.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $57,600
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $57,600
Room & Board $18,560 $16,620
Avg Net Price $47,804 $34,679
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $39,615
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 60%

Admission

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 7,036
Admitted 5,585 2,558
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 36.4%
Enrolled % 16.9% 35.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 28/32 28/32
SAT Range 1285/1480 1260/1430
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)

Outcomes

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Graduation Rate 81% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $80,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $284

Diversity

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
% Men 33% 45%
% Women 67% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 47% 70%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
% In-State 45% 35%
% Out-of-State 43% 61%

Campus

 Pepperdine Holy Cross
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 3,083 students)

Pepperdine vs. Holy Cross Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or Holy Cross?

  • Pepperdine University is 8.3% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $57,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at Pepperdine than College of the Holy Cross ($62,390.00 vs. $57,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Holy Cross than Pepperdine ($34,679 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 11.7% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($16,620 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than College of the Holy Cross (94% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Holy Cross students is 22.5% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($39,615 vs. $32,348)

Pepperdine vs. Holy Cross Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than Holy Cross (36.4%)

Pepperdine vs. Holy Cross Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pepperdine or Holy Cross? 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 Holy Cross and Pepperdine.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Pepperdine University (91% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from College of the Holy Cross earn on average $8,700 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($80,400 vs. $71,700)
  • Pepperdine University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Pepperdine graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($268 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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