Pepperdine vs. Stanford

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

Harvard Loyola Marymount Caltech MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Yale Chapman Princeton USD
Pepperdine University vs. Stanford University comparison
Pepperdine University Stanford University College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University Stanford University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pepperdine Stanford
Location Malibu, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 10,030 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #2
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pepperdine Stanford
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $57,693
Room & Board $18,560 $18,619
Avg Net Price $47,804 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 53%

Admission

Pepperdine Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 56,378
Admitted 5,585 2,075
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 3.7%
Enrolled % 16.9% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 33/35
SAT Range 1285/1480 1500/1580
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 2, 2024

Academics

Pepperdine Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Pepperdine Stanford
Graduation Rate 81% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $268 $128

Diversity

Pepperdine Stanford
% Men 33% 53%
% Women 67% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 37%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 10%
% International 10% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Pepperdine Stanford
% In-State 45% 35%
% Out-of-State 43% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stanford University is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (18,283 students vs. 10,030 students)

Pepperdine vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or Stanford?

  • Pepperdine University is 8.1% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at Pepperdine than Stanford University ($62,390.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Pepperdine ($18,279 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pepperdine University are 0.3% lower than costs at Stanford University ($18,560 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Stanford University (94% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 87.4% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($60,619 vs. $32,348)

Pepperdine vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 253 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than Stanford (3.7%)

Pepperdine vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Pepperdine University (96% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $51,200 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $71,700)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $13,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($12,475 vs. $26,000)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($128 vs. $268)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 75%)

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