Pepperdine vs. USF

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

Pepperdine USF
Location Malibu, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 9,545 9,212
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #143 #116
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pepperdine USF
Tuition (In State) $65,990 $57,670
Tuition (Out of State) $65,990 $57,670
Room & Board $23,270 $17,300
Avg Net Price $52,216 $44,104
Avg Grant Aid $32,986 $32,492
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 97%

Admission

Pepperdine USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,457 25,709
Admitted 6,210 13,052
Acceptance Rate 49.9% 50.8%
Enrolled % 11.8% 8.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/32 26/31
SAT Range 1250/1450 1210/1390
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Pepperdine USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Pepperdine USF
Graduation Rate 81% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

Pepperdine USF
% Men 18% 13%
% Women 44% 24%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 27%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 19%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Pepperdine USF
% In-State 55% 58%
% Out-of-State 34% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (9,545 students vs. 9,212 students)

Pepperdine vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or USF?

  • Pepperdine University is 14.4% more expensive to attend than USF for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $57,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.4% higher at Pepperdine than University of San Francisco ($65,990.00 vs. $57,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Francisco than Pepperdine ($44,104 vs. $52,216)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 34.5% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($17,300 vs. $23,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than Pepperdine University (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 1.5% larger than aid received University of San Francisco ($32,986 vs. $32,492)

Pepperdine vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 54 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming Pepperdine students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than Pepperdine (49.9%)

Pepperdine vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than University of San Francisco (81% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $1,300 more per year than USF graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $70,400)
  • University of San Francisco students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • USF graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Pepperdine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 73%)

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