California Lutheran University vs. Loyola Marymount

Should I go to California Lutheran University or Loyola Marymount University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California Lutheran University or Loyola Marymount 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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California Lutheran University vs. Loyola Marymount University comparison
California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount University College 3 College 4
California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount University
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Overview

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 3,413 10,256
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #70
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu lmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Tuition (In State) $49,880 $57,602
Tuition (Out of State) $49,880 $57,602
Room & Board $17,734 $20,713
Avg Net Price $27,080 $54,471
Avg Grant Aid $36,687 $21,575
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,290 23,361
Admitted 4,702 9,413
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 40.3%
Enrolled % 12.2% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 29/32
SAT Range 1134/1320 1300/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Graduation Rate 64% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $65,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $21,668
Median Loan Payment $237 $224

Diversity

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
% Men 10% 10%
% Women 20% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 45%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 27% 21%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 4% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
% In-State 80% 55%
% Out-of-State 16% 34%

Campus

California Lutheran University Loyola Marymount
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Loyola Marymount University is larger than than California Lutheran University based on total student enrollment (10,256 students vs. 3,413 students)

California Lutheran University vs. Loyola Marymount Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or Loyola Marymount?

  • Loyola Marymount University is 15.5% more expensive to attend than California Lutheran University for in-state tuition ($57,602.00 vs. $49,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.5% higher at Loyola Marymount than California Lutheran University ($57,602.00 vs. $49,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Lutheran University than Loyola Marymount ($27,080 vs. $54,471)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Lutheran University are 16.8% lower than costs at Loyola Marymount University ($17,734 vs. $20,713)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University as Loyola Marymount University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 70% larger than aid received Loyola Marymount University ($36,687 vs. $21,575)

California Lutheran University vs. Loyola Marymount Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California Lutheran University or Loyola Marymount? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Loyola Marymount or California Lutheran University .

  • The average SAT score at Loyola Marymount University (1222) is 113 points higher than at California Lutheran University (1109)
  • Incoming Loyola Marymount students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at California Lutheran University (25)
  • Accepted freshman Loyola Marymount students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at California Lutheran University (3.73)
  • California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Loyola Marymount (40.3%)

California Lutheran University vs. Loyola Marymount Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California Lutheran University or Loyola Marymount? 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 Loyola Marymount and California Lutheran University.

  • The graduation rate at Loyola Marymount is higher than California Lutheran University (77% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Loyola Marymount University earn on average $7,800 more per year than California Lutheran University graduates after ten years. ($65,700 vs. $57,900)
  • Loyola Marymount University students graduate with a $1,332 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($21,668 vs. $23,000)
  • Loyola Marymount graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($224 vs. $237)
  • More Loyola Marymount graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Lutheran University students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 70%)

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