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UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI UCSD SCU Cal State Long Beach USF| California Lutheran University | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
California Lutheran University | UCSC | ||
| Location | Thousand Oaks, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,413 | 19,764 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #359 | #251 | ||
| 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) | $49,880 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,880 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,734 | $18,785 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,080 | $16,526 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $36,687 | $21,564 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 65% |
Admission |
California Lutheran University | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,290 | 68,845 | ||
| Admitted | 4,702 | 43,054 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 88.9% | 62.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.2% | 10.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.73 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1134/1320 | 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, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
California Lutheran University | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 22:1 | ||
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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 | 10% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 5% | ||
| 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% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 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 (19,764 students vs. 3,413 students)
California Lutheran University vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California Lutheran University or UCSC?
- California Lutheran University is 321.5% more expensive to attend than UCSC 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 Santa Cruz ($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 Santa Cruz than California Lutheran University ($16,526 vs. $27,080)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Lutheran University are 5.9% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($17,734 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University than University of California Santa Cruz (100% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 70.1% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($36,687 vs. $21,564)
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 (88.9%) than UCSC (62.5%)
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/