Pepperdine vs. RPI

Should I go to Pepperdine University or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or RPI 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 RIT Stevens Chapman USD Binghamton University Northeastern Oxy U of R SCU Lehigh MIT
Pepperdine University vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Pepperdine University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Pepperdine RPI
Location Malibu, CA Troy, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 10,030 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #110
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pepperdine RPI
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $58,600
Room & Board $18,560 $16,980
Avg Net Price $47,804 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 90%

Admission

 Pepperdine RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 16,863
Admitted 5,585 10,878
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 64.5%
Enrolled % 16.9% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 30/34
SAT Range 1285/1480 1360/1520
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Pepperdine RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Pepperdine RPI
Graduation Rate 81% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $284

Diversity

 Pepperdine RPI
% Men 33% 69%
% Women 67% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 59%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Pepperdine RPI
% In-State 45% 36%
% Out-of-State 43% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 6,968 students)

Pepperdine vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or RPI?

  • Pepperdine University is 6.5% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Pepperdine than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,390.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Pepperdine ($39,127 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 9.3% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($16,980 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (94% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 19.4% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($38,636 vs. $32,348)

Pepperdine vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 142 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Pepperdine (48.7%)

Pepperdine vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Pepperdine University (84% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $10,800 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $71,700)
  • Pepperdine University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Pepperdine graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($268 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 75%)

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