Pepperdine vs. San Diego State

Should I go to Pepperdine University or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or San Diego State 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. 

USD Loyola Marymount UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach Chapman UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU
Pepperdine University vs. San Diego State University comparison
Pepperdine University San Diego State University College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University San Diego State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pepperdine San Diego State
Location Malibu, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 10,030 37,402
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #337
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pepperdine San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $17,622
Room & Board $18,560 $19,714
Avg Net Price $47,804 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 43%

Admission

Pepperdine San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 77,250
Admitted 5,585 30,331
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 39.3%
Enrolled % 16.9% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 28/32 22/29
SAT Range 1285/1480 1090/1300
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 15, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

Pepperdine San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Pepperdine San Diego State
Graduation Rate 81% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $268 $158

Diversity

Pepperdine San Diego State
% Men 33% 42%
% Women 67% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 34%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Pepperdine San Diego State
% In-State 45% 77%
% Out-of-State 43% 21%

Campus

Pepperdine San Diego State
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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 10,030 students)

Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or San Diego State?

  • Pepperdine University is 986.6% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254% higher at Pepperdine than San Diego State University ($62,390.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Pepperdine ($13,017 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pepperdine University are 6.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,560 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than San Diego State University (94% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 225.6% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($32,348 vs. $9,934)

Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 96 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Pepperdine students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pepperdine or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Pepperdine.

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than San Diego State University (81% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $18,300 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $10,651 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($15,349 vs. $26,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($158 vs. $268)
  • More Pepperdine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 65%)

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