HMC vs. Pepperdine

Should I go to Harvey Mudd College or Pepperdine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HMC or Pepperdine 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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Harvey Mudd College vs. Pepperdine University comparison
Harvey Mudd College Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
Harvey Mudd College Pepperdine University
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Overview

HMC Pepperdine
Location Claremont, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 922 10,030
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hmc.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HMC Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $62,516 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $62,516 $62,390
Room & Board $19,879 $18,560
Avg Net Price $39,850 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $42,386 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 94%

Admission

HMC Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,440 11,466
Admitted 593 5,585
Acceptance Rate 13.4% 48.7%
Enrolled % 40% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 34/36 28/32
SAT Range 1480/1560 1285/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

HMC Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

HMC Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 84% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,900 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments - 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,540 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $264 $268

Diversity

HMC Pepperdine
% Men 51% 33%
% Women 49% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 47%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

HMC Pepperdine
% In-State 43% 45%
% Out-of-State 43% 43%

Campus

HMC Pepperdine
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than HMC based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 922 students)

HMC vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HMC or Pepperdine?

  • Harvey Mudd College is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Pepperdine for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $62,390.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at HMC than Pepperdine University ($62,516.00 vs. $62,390.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvey Mudd College than Pepperdine ($39,850 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pepperdine University are 7.1% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($18,560 vs. $19,879)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Harvey Mudd College (94% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvey Mudd College students is 31% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($42,386 vs. $32,348)

HMC vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 258 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming HMC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman HMC students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than HMC (13.4%)

HMC vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HMC or Pepperdine? 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 Pepperdine and HMC.

  • The graduation rate at HMC is higher than Pepperdine University (84% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $13,200 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $71,700)
  • Harvey Mudd College students graduate with a $460 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($25,540 vs. $26,000)
  • HMC graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($264 vs. $268)

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