California Lutheran University vs. Umary

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

California Lutheran University Umary
Location Thousand Oaks, CA Bismarck, ND
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,413 3,794
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #346
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website callutheran.edu umary.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California Lutheran University Umary
Tuition (In State) $49,880 $19,084
Tuition (Out of State) $49,880 $19,084
Room & Board $17,734 $8,506
Avg Net Price $27,080 $19,225
Avg Grant Aid $36,687 $13,664
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

California Lutheran University Umary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,290 1,577
Admitted 4,702 1,234
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 78.2%
Enrolled % 12.2% 45.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/27
SAT Range 1134/1320 1096/1320
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 Sep 30, 2025

Academics

California Lutheran University Umary
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (41%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

California Lutheran University Umary
Graduation Rate 64% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $51,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $237 $232

Diversity

California Lutheran University Umary
% Men 10% 10%
% Women 20% 20%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 84%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 27% 4%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

California Lutheran University Umary
% In-State 80% 34%
% Out-of-State 16% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Mary is larger than than California Lutheran University based on total student enrollment (3,794 students vs. 3,413 students)

California Lutheran University vs. Umary Cost Comparison

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

  • California Lutheran University is 161.4% more expensive to attend than Umary for in-state tuition ($49,880.00 vs. $19,084.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 161.4% higher at California Lutheran University than University of Mary ($49,880.00 vs. $19,084.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Mary than California Lutheran University ($19,225 vs. $27,080)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Mary are 108.5% lower than costs at California Lutheran University ($8,506 vs. $17,734)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California Lutheran University as University of Mary (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Lutheran University students is 168.5% larger than aid received University of Mary ($36,687 vs. $13,664)

California Lutheran University vs. Umary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Lutheran University (1109) is 43 points higher than at Umary (1066)
  • Incoming California Lutheran University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Umary (23)
  • Accepted freshman California Lutheran University students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Umary (3.37)
  • California Lutheran University has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Umary (78.2%)

California Lutheran University vs. Umary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at California Lutheran University is higher than University of Mary (64% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from California Lutheran University earn on average $6,000 more per year than Umary graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $51,900)
  • University of Mary students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than California Lutheran University graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,000)
  • Umary graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than California Lutheran University graduates. ($232 vs. $237)
  • More Umary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Lutheran University students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 70%)

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