Pepperdine vs. Emory

Should I go to Pepperdine University or Emory University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or Emory 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Loyola Marymount Vanderbilt WUSTL Tulane Chapman USD Duke Georgetown Rice Tufts Carnegie Mellon Oxy
Pepperdine University vs. Emory University comparison
Pepperdine University Emory University College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University Emory University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pepperdine Emory
Location Malibu, CA Atlanta, GA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 10,030 14,841
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #24
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu emory.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pepperdine Emory
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $57,120
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $57,120
Room & Board $18,560 $17,016
Avg Net Price $47,804 $26,680
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $48,914
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 51%

Admission

Pepperdine Emory
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 33,179
Admitted 5,585 3,767
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 11.4%
Enrolled % 16.9% 37.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/32 32/34
SAT Range 1285/1480 1430/1550
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Pepperdine Emory
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Pepperdine Emory
Graduation Rate 81% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $81,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,233
Median Loan Payment $268 $178

Diversity

Pepperdine Emory
% Men 33% 39%
% Women 67% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 41%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Pepperdine Emory
% In-State 45% 11%
% Out-of-State 43% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emory University is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (14,841 students vs. 10,030 students)

Pepperdine vs. Emory Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or Emory?

  • Pepperdine University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than Emory for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $57,120.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Pepperdine than Emory University ($62,390.00 vs. $57,120.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Emory University than Pepperdine ($26,680 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emory University are 9.1% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($17,016 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Emory University (94% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emory University students is 51.2% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($48,914 vs. $32,348)

Pepperdine vs. Emory Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emory University (1380) is 154 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming Emory students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Emory students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than Emory (11.4%)

Pepperdine vs. Emory Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Emory is higher than Pepperdine University (90% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Emory University earn on average $9,800 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($81,500 vs. $71,700)
  • Emory University students graduate with a $8,767 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($17,233 vs. $26,000)
  • Emory graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($178 vs. $268)
  • More Emory 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/