UCLA vs. Pepperdine

Should I go to University of California Los Angeles or Pepperdine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCLA 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.
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University of California Los Angeles vs. Pepperdine University comparison
University of California Los Angeles Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
University of California Los Angeles Pepperdine University
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Overview

 UCLA Pepperdine
Location Los Angeles, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 46,430 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucla.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCLA Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $17,231 $18,560
Avg Net Price $16,999 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $21,766 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 94%

Admission

 UCLA Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 149,801 11,466
Admitted 12,845 5,585
Acceptance Rate 8.6% 48.7%
Enrolled % 50.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 29/35 28/32
SAT Range 1300/1530 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

 UCLA Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 UCLA Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 90% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,700 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,300 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $168 $268

Diversity

 UCLA Pepperdine
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 47%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 21% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 UCLA Pepperdine
% In-State 77% 45%
% Out-of-State 15% 43%

Campus

 UCLA 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 Los Angeles is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 10,030 students)

UCLA vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCLA or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UCLA 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 Los Angeles ($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 Los Angeles than Pepperdine ($16,999 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Los Angeles are 7.7% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($17,231 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Los Angeles (94% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 48.6% larger than aid received University of California Los Angeles ($32,348 vs. $21,766)

UCLA vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 113 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than UCLA (8.6%)

UCLA vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCLA 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 UCLA.

  • The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than Pepperdine University (90% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $1,000 more per year than UCLA graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $70,700)
  • University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $9,700 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($16,300 vs. $26,000)
  • UCLA graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($168 vs. $268)
  • More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 75%)

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