Defiance College vs. PennWest California

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

Defiance College PennWest California
Location Defiance, OH California, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Town Fringe
Enrollment 540 6,509
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website defiance.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Defiance College PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $34,556 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $34,556 $11,574
Room & Board $10,940 $10,416
Avg Net Price $23,196 -
Avg Grant Aid $24,970 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 0%

Admission

Defiance College PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,722 -
Admitted 1,711 -
Acceptance Rate 62.9%
Enrolled % 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/24
SAT Range 860/1110 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

Defiance College PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

Defiance College PennWest California
Graduation Rate 51% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,700 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Defiance College PennWest California
% Men 60% 39%
% Women 40% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 77%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Defiance College PennWest California
% In-State 66% 86%
% Out-of-State 31% 13%

Campus

Defiance College PennWest California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Defiance College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 540 students)

Defiance College vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Defiance College or PennWest California?

  • Defiance College is 347.8% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($34,556.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 198.6% higher at Defiance College than PennWest California ($34,556.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 5% lower than costs at Defiance College ($10,416 vs. $10,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Defiance College than PennWest California (99% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($24,970 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Defiance College (984) is 62 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Defiance College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Defiance College (3.12)

Defiance College vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Defiance College or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and Defiance College.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Defiance College (53% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Defiance College earn on average $1,200 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Defiance College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 58%)

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