UCI vs. Pepperdine

Should I go to University of California Irvine or Pepperdine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI 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 UCSD UCSB UC Davis UC Riverside Chapman UCSC USD UC Berkeley Cal Poly Oxy
University of California Irvine vs. Pepperdine University comparison
University of California Irvine Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine Pepperdine University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCI Pepperdine
Location Irvine, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 35,937 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $17,699 $18,560
Avg Net Price $14,033 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 94%

Admission

UCI Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 11,466
Admitted 25,212 5,585
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 48.7%
Enrolled % 22.5% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 26/33 28/32
SAT Range 1230/1430 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

UCI Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UCI Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 85% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $268

Diversity

UCI Pepperdine
% Men 45% 33%
% Women 55% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 47%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 25% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 16% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

UCI Pepperdine
% In-State 81% 45%
% Out-of-State 7% 43%

Campus

UCI 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 Irvine is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (35,937 students vs. 10,030 students)

UCI vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UCI 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 Irvine ($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 Irvine than Pepperdine ($14,033 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 4.9% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($17,699 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Irvine (94% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 85.8% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($32,348 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 51 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming Pepperdine students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than Pepperdine University (85% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $9,900 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $61,800)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($17,000 vs. $26,000)
  • UCI graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($175 vs. $268)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 75%)

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