Pepperdine vs. Drake

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

Pepperdine Drake
Location Malibu, CA Des Moines, IA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 10,030 4,685
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #149
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pepperdine Drake
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $47,564
Room & Board $18,560 $11,570
Avg Net Price $47,804 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

Pepperdine Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 8,621
Admitted 5,585 5,796
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 67.2%
Enrolled % 16.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 25/30
SAT Range 1285/1480 1110/1340
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

Academics

Pepperdine Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Pepperdine Drake
Graduation Rate 81% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

Pepperdine Drake
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 47% 79%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Pepperdine Drake
% In-State 45% 35%
% Out-of-State 43% 63%

Campus

Pepperdine Drake
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 Drake based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 4,685 students)

Pepperdine vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or Drake?

  • Pepperdine University is 31.2% more expensive to attend than Drake for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.2% higher at Pepperdine than Drake University ($62,390.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Drake University than Pepperdine ($30,333 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 60.4% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($11,570 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than Pepperdine University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 3.4% larger than aid received Drake University ($32,348 vs. $31,274)

Pepperdine vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 2 points higher than at Drake (1224)
  • Incoming Pepperdine students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Drake (27)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Pepperdine (48.7%)

Pepperdine vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pepperdine or Drake? 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 Drake and Pepperdine.

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than Drake University (81% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $3,200 more per year than Drake graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $68,500)
  • Drake University and Pepperdine graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Drake University and Pepperdine graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

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