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UCSC San Diego State UC Merced UCI UCSD San Jose State ASU UC Davis Cal State Long Beach UCSB Chapman Cal State Fullerton| California Lutheran University | University of California Riverside | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
| Location | Thousand Oaks, CA | Riverside, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,413 | 26,426 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #359 | #265 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | callutheran.edu | ucr.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,880 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,880 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,734 | $19,433 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,080 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $36,687 | $21,566 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 70% |
Admission |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,290 | 62,807 | ||
| Admitted | 4,702 | 39,758 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 88.9% | 63.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.2% | 13.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.73 | 3.84 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 22/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1134/1320 | 1080/1280 | ||
| 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 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $57,900 | $52,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,000 | $19,109 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $237 | $197 |
Diversity |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 27% | 36% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 95% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 1% | ||
Campus |
California Lutheran University | UC Riverside | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Riverside is larger than than California Lutheran University based on total student enrollment (26,426 students vs. 3,413 students)
California Lutheran University vs. UC Riverside Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or UC Riverside?
- California Lutheran University is 321.5% more expensive to attend than UC Riverside for in-state tuition ($49,880.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 17.1% higher at California Lutheran University than University of California Riverside ($49,880.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than California Lutheran University ($13,533 vs. $27,080)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Lutheran University are 9.6% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($17,734 vs. $19,433)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than University of California Riverside (100% vs. 70%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 70.1% larger than aid received University of California Riverside ($36,687 vs. $21,566)
California Lutheran University vs. UC Riverside Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, California Lutheran University or UC Riverside? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Riverside or California Lutheran University .
- The average SAT score at University of California Riverside (1119) is 10 points higher than at California Lutheran University (1109)
- Incoming UC Riverside students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at California Lutheran University (25)
- Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at California Lutheran University (3.73)
- California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than UC Riverside (63.3%)
California Lutheran University vs. UC Riverside Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, California Lutheran University or UC Riverside? 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 UC Riverside and California Lutheran University.
- The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than California Lutheran University (67% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from California Lutheran University earn on average $5,700 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $52,200)
- University of California Riverside students graduate with a $3,891 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($19,109 vs. $23,000)
- UC Riverside graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($197 vs. $237)
- More California Lutheran University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/