Pepperdine vs. SCU

Should I go to Pepperdine University or Santa Clara University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or SCU 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. Santa Clara University comparison
Pepperdine University Santa Clara University College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University Santa Clara University
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Overview

 Pepperdine SCU
Location Malibu, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 9,545 9,340
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #143 #54
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pepperdine SCU
Tuition (In State) $65,990 $58,587
Tuition (Out of State) $65,990 $58,587
Room & Board $23,270 $18,984
Avg Net Price $52,216 $49,651
Avg Grant Aid $32,986 $28,375
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 73%

Admission

 Pepperdine SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,457 18,843
Admitted 6,210 8,261
Acceptance Rate 49.9% 43.8%
Enrolled % 11.8% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/32 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1450 1340/1500
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, 2026 Jan 7, 2026

Academics

 Pepperdine SCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Pepperdine SCU
Graduation Rate 81% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $222

Diversity

 Pepperdine SCU
% Men 18% 15%
% Women 44% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 49%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Pepperdine SCU
% In-State 55% 50%
% Out-of-State 34% 40%

Campus

 Pepperdine SCU
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

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (9,545 students vs. 9,340 students)

Pepperdine vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or SCU?

  • Pepperdine University is 12.6% more expensive to attend than SCU for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at Pepperdine than Santa Clara University ($65,990.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Clara University than Pepperdine ($49,651 vs. $52,216)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Clara University are 22.6% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($18,984 vs. $23,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Santa Clara University (91% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 16.3% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($32,986 vs. $28,375)

Pepperdine vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 87 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than SCU (43.8%)

Pepperdine vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than Pepperdine University (85% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $10,200 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $71,700)
  • Santa Clara University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,000)
  • SCU graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($222 vs. $268)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

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