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USD Loyola Marymount UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach Chapman UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU| Pepperdine University | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
| Location | Malibu, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 9,545 | 39,241 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #143 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Churches of Christ | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | pepperdine.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $65,990 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $65,990 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $23,270 | $21,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $52,216 | $19,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $32,986 | $5,459 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 91% | 94% |
Admission |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,457 | 82,800 | ||
| Admitted | 6,210 | 28,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 49.9% | 34.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.8% | 21.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.74 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1250/1450 | 1090/1300 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 81% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $71,700 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 75% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $158 |
Diversity |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 18% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 44% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 47% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 10% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 4% |
Students |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 55% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 34% | 23% | ||
Campus |
Pepperdine | San Diego State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 9,545 students)
Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or San Diego State?
- Pepperdine University is 1,049.3% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 274.5% higher at Pepperdine than San Diego State University ($65,990.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Pepperdine ($19,500 vs. $52,216)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Diego State University are 7.6% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($21,630 vs. $23,270)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than Pepperdine University (94% vs. 91%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 504.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($32,986 vs. $5,459)
Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Pepperdine or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or Pepperdine .
- The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 96 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming Pepperdine students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
- Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
Pepperdine vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Pepperdine or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Pepperdine.
- The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than San Diego State University (81% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $18,300 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $10,651 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($15,349 vs. $26,000)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($158 vs. $268)
- More Pepperdine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/