Pepperdine vs. BYU

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

 Pepperdine BYU
Location Malibu, CA Provo, UT
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 10,030 34,464
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #125
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu byu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pepperdine BYU
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $6,304
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $6,304
Room & Board $18,560 $8,560
Avg Net Price $47,804 $13,521
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $6,325
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 46%

Admission

 Pepperdine BYU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 10,559
Admitted 5,585 7,040
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 66.7%
Enrolled % 16.9% 79%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 27/32
SAT Range 1285/1480 1280/1468
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 15, 2025 Dec 16, 2024

Academics

 Pepperdine BYU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Pepperdine BYU
Graduation Rate 81% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $69,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $11,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $113

Diversity

 Pepperdine BYU
% Men 33% 49%
% Women 67% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 47% 83%
% Black 6% 0%
% Hispanic 16% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Pepperdine BYU
% In-State 45% 36%
% Out-of-State 43% 62%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Brigham Young University Provo is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (34,464 students vs. 10,030 students)

Pepperdine vs. BYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or BYU?

  • Pepperdine University is 889.7% more expensive to attend than BYU for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 889.7% higher at Pepperdine than Brigham Young University Provo ($62,390.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brigham Young University Provo than Pepperdine ($13,521 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brigham Young University Provo are 116.8% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($8,560 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Brigham Young University Provo (94% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 411.4% larger than aid received Brigham Young University Provo ($32,348 vs. $6,325)

Pepperdine vs. BYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Brigham Young University Provo (1290) is 64 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming BYU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman BYU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • BYU has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than Pepperdine (48.7%)

Pepperdine vs. BYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than Brigham Young University Provo (81% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $2,600 more per year than BYU graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $69,100)
  • Brigham Young University Provo students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($11,000 vs. $26,000)
  • BYU graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($113 vs. $268)
  • More BYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 75%)

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