Oxy vs. Pepperdine

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

Oxy Pepperdine
Location Los Angeles, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,854 9,545
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #78 #143
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $62,850 $65,990
Tuition (Out of State) $62,850 $65,990
Room & Board $18,284 $23,270
Avg Net Price $47,113 $52,216
Avg Grant Aid $33,523 $32,986
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 91%

Admission

Oxy Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,573 12,457
Admitted 2,622 6,210
Acceptance Rate 39.9% 49.9%
Enrolled % 20.3% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 31/34 26/32
SAT Range 1360/1500 1250/1450
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 10, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Oxy Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Oxy Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 83% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $268

Diversity

Oxy Pepperdine
% Men 0% 18%
% Women 0% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 47%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

Oxy Pepperdine
% In-State 36% 55%
% Out-of-State 56% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (9,545 students vs. 1,854 students)

Oxy vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 5% more expensive to attend than Oxy for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $62,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at Pepperdine than Occidental College ($65,990.00 vs. $62,850.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Occidental College than Pepperdine ($47,113 vs. $52,216)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 27.3% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($18,284 vs. $23,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Occidental College (91% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Occidental College students is 1.6% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($33,523 vs. $32,986)

Oxy vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Occidental College (1304) is 78 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming Oxy students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than Oxy (39.9%)

Oxy vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oxy 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 Oxy.

  • The graduation rate at Oxy is higher than Pepperdine University (83% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $15,100 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $56,600)
  • Occidental College students graduate with a $2,348 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($23,652 vs. $26,000)
  • Oxy graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($244 vs. $268)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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