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 1,942 10,030
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #72 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $59,970 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $59,970 $62,390
Room & Board $17,330 $18,560
Avg Net Price $44,853 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $33,025 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 94%

Admission

Oxy Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,305 11,466
Admitted 2,484 5,585
Acceptance Rate 39.4% 48.7%
Enrolled % 21.4% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/34 28/32
SAT Range 1370/1510 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 10, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

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 41% 33%
% Women 59% 67%
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 34% 45%
% Out-of-State 61% 43%

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 (10,030 students vs. 1,942 students)

Oxy vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 4% more expensive to attend than Oxy for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Pepperdine than Occidental College ($62,390.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Occidental College than Pepperdine ($44,853 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 7.1% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($17,330 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Occidental College (94% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Occidental College students is 2.1% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($33,025 vs. $32,348)

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 (48.7%) than Oxy (39.4%)

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/