PLNU vs. Manhattan College

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or Manhattan College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or Manhattan 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.

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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. Manhattan College comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University Manhattan College College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University Manhattan College
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Overview

PLNU Manhattan College
Location San Diego, CA Riverdale, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,319 3,575
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292 #170
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu manhattan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU Manhattan College
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $44,100
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $44,100
Room & Board $11,800 $18,440
Avg Net Price $34,933 $29,535
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $31,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

PLNU Manhattan College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 9,930
Admitted 2,580 8,172
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 82.3%Open
Enrolled % 26.7% 9.2%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 23/30
SAT Range 1170/1350 1140/1330
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 Aug 31, 2025

Academics

PLNU Manhattan College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (25%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

PLNU Manhattan College
Graduation Rate 72% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $66,700
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

PLNU Manhattan College
% Men 34% 57%
% Women 66% 43%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 57%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 23% 21%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

PLNU Manhattan College
% In-State 70% 72%
% Out-of-State 29% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than Manhattan College based on total student enrollment (4,319 students vs. 3,575 students)

PLNU vs. Manhattan College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or Manhattan College?

  • Manhattan College is 9.2% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($44,100.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Manhattan College than Point Loma Nazarene University ($44,100.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Manhattan College than PLNU ($29,535 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 56.3% lower than costs at Manhattan College ($11,800 vs. $18,440)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University as Manhattan College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Manhattan College students is 64.2% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($31,882 vs. $19,422)

PLNU vs. Manhattan College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 51 points higher than at Manhattan College (1097)
  • Incoming PLNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Manhattan College (25)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Manhattan College (3.63)
  • Manhattan College has a higher acceptance rate (82.3%) than PLNU (81.9%)

PLNU vs. Manhattan College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or Manhattan 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 Manhattan College and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is the same as at Manhattan College (72% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Manhattan College earn on average $13,200 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($66,700 vs. $53,500)
  • Point Loma Nazarene University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Manhattan College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • PLNU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Manhattan College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Manhattan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLNU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 79%)

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