Pepperdine vs. Westmont College

Should I go to Pepperdine University or Westmont College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pepperdine or Westmont College 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 Chapman USD Oxy SCU PLNU USC UCLA UCSB SMU UCI Stanford
Pepperdine University vs. Westmont College comparison
Pepperdine University Westmont College College 3 College 4
Pepperdine University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Pepperdine Westmont College
Location Malibu, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 10,030 1,284
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #127 #146
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pepperdine.edu westmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pepperdine Westmont College
Tuition (In State) $62,390 $48,840
Tuition (Out of State) $62,390 $48,840
Room & Board $18,560 $15,760
Avg Net Price $47,804 $33,112
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $33,900
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 97%

Admission

 Pepperdine Westmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,466 2,326
Admitted 5,585 1,907
Acceptance Rate 48.7% 82%
Enrolled % 16.9% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 30/33
SAT Range 1285/1480 1280/1458
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

Academics

 Pepperdine Westmont College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Pepperdine Westmont College
Graduation Rate 81% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,700 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,123
Median Loan Payment $268 $259

Diversity

 Pepperdine Westmont College
% Men 33% 39%
% Women 67% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 47% 64%
% Black 6% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Pepperdine Westmont College
% In-State 45% 65%
% Out-of-State 43% 33%

Campus

 Pepperdine Westmont College
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

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than Westmont College based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 1,284 students)

Pepperdine vs. Westmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pepperdine or Westmont College?

  • Pepperdine University is 27.7% more expensive to attend than Westmont College for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $48,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.7% higher at Pepperdine than Westmont College ($62,390.00 vs. $48,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Westmont College than Pepperdine ($33,112 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westmont College are 17.8% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($15,760 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westmont College than Pepperdine University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westmont College students is 4.8% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($33,900 vs. $32,348)

Pepperdine vs. Westmont College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 47 points higher than at Westmont College (1179)
  • Incoming Pepperdine students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Westmont College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Westmont College (3.59)
  • Westmont College has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Pepperdine (48.7%)

Pepperdine vs. Westmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pepperdine or Westmont College? 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 Westmont College and Pepperdine.

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than Westmont College (81% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $17,100 more per year than Westmont College graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $54,600)
  • Westmont College students graduate with a $877 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($25,123 vs. $26,000)
  • Westmont College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($259 vs. $268)
  • More Westmont College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 75%)

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