UC Berkeley vs. Pepperdine

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

Loyola Marymount UCLA Stanford UCSD UT Austin Chapman UC Davis Michigan UCSB USD UCI USC
University of California Berkeley vs. Pepperdine University comparison
University of California Berkeley Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley Pepperdine University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
Location Berkeley, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 45,307 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $21,402 $18,560
Avg Net Price $19,257 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 94%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 11,466
Admitted 14,523 5,585
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 48.7%
Enrolled % 46.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 28/32
SAT Range 1310/1530 1285/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 90% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $146 $268

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
% Men 46% 33%
% Women 54% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 47%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 UC Berkeley Pepperdine
% In-State 78% 45%
% Out-of-State 11% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 10,030 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.8% higher at Pepperdine than University of California Berkeley ($62,390.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Pepperdine ($19,257 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pepperdine University are 15.3% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($18,560 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Berkeley (94% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 49.3% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($32,348 vs. $21,669)

UC Berkeley vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 171 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or Pepperdine? 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 Pepperdine and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than Pepperdine University (90% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $3,000 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $71,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $11,800 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($14,200 vs. $26,000)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $122 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($146 vs. $268)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 75%)

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