California Lutheran University vs. UCSC

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

 California Lutheran University UCSC
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 3,615 19,478
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #347 #222
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 California Lutheran University UCSC
Tuition (In State) $47,500 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $47,500 $41,636
Room & Board $15,490 $18,185
Avg Net Price $30,416 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $30,597 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

 California Lutheran University UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,150 65,912
Admitted 4,490 30,926
Acceptance Rate 87.2% 46.9%
Enrolled % 13.4% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30 25/33
SAT Range 1150/1320 1160/1360
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, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

 California Lutheran University UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

 California Lutheran University UCSC
Graduation Rate 64% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $237 $206

Diversity

 California Lutheran University UCSC
% Men 43% 50%
% Women 57% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 33%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 27% 31%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 California Lutheran University UCSC
% In-State 80% 90%
% Out-of-State 17% 7%

Campus

 California Lutheran University UCSC
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 Santa Cruz is larger than than California Lutheran University based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 3,615 students)

California Lutheran University vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or UCSC?

  • California Lutheran University is 310.8% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($47,500.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at California Lutheran University than University of California Santa Cruz ($47,500.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than California Lutheran University ($17,975 vs. $30,416)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Lutheran University are 17.4% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($15,490 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than University of California Santa Cruz (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 44.3% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($30,597 vs. $21,202)

California Lutheran University vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 92 points higher than at California Lutheran University (1109)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at California Lutheran University (25)
  • Accepted freshman California Lutheran University students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (87.2%) than UCSC (46.9%)

California Lutheran University vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California Lutheran University or UCSC? 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 UCSC and California Lutheran University.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than California Lutheran University (73% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from California Lutheran University earn on average $7,500 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $3,041 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($19,959 vs. $23,000)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($206 vs. $237)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Lutheran University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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