PLNU vs. Drake

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or Drake University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or Drake 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. Drake University comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University Drake University College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University Drake University
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Overview

PLNU Drake
Location San Diego, CA Des Moines, IA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 4,319 4,685
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292 #149
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU Drake
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $47,564
Room & Board $11,800 $11,570
Avg Net Price $34,933 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

PLNU Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 8,621
Admitted 2,580 5,796
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 67.2%
Enrolled % 26.7% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30 25/30
SAT Range 1170/1350 1110/1340
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

PLNU Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

PLNU Drake
Graduation Rate 72% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

PLNU Drake
% Men 34% 37%
% Women 66% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 79%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 23% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PLNU Drake
% In-State 70% 35%
% Out-of-State 29% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Drake University is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 4,319 students)

PLNU vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or Drake?

  • Drake University is 17.7% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($47,564.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at Drake than Point Loma Nazarene University ($47,564.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Drake University than PLNU ($30,333 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 2% lower than costs at Point Loma Nazarene University ($11,570 vs. $11,800)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University as Drake University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 61% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($31,274 vs. $19,422)

PLNU vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Drake University (1224) is 76 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming Drake students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Drake students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than Drake (67.2%)

PLNU vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or Drake? 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 Drake and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at Drake is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (75% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $15,000 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $53,500)
  • Point Loma Nazarene University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • PLNU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLNU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 79%)

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