Prescott College vs. PLNU

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

 Prescott College PLNU
Location Prescott, AZ San Diego, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 969 4,319
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website prescott.edu pointloma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Prescott College PLNU
Tuition (In State) $33,960 $40,400
Tuition (Out of State) $33,960 $40,400
Room & Board $9,520 $11,800
Avg Net Price $25,317 $34,933
Avg Grant Aid $20,149 $19,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Prescott College PLNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 185 3,149
Admitted 182 2,580
Acceptance Rate 98.4% 81.9%
Enrolled % 18.1% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.65
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/24 22/30
SAT Range 1095/1290 1170/1350
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 Prescott College PLNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (24%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (16%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 Prescott College PLNU
Graduation Rate 29% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $33,900 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $258

Diversity

 Prescott College PLNU
% Men 25% 34%
% Women 75% 66%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 59%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 23%
% Native American 4% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 15% 2%

Students

 Prescott College PLNU
% In-State 27% 70%
% Out-of-State 73% 29%

Campus

 Prescott College PLNU
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

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than Prescott College based on total student enrollment (4,319 students vs. 969 students)

Prescott College vs. PLNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Prescott College or PLNU?

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 19% more expensive to attend than Prescott College for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $33,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19% higher at PLNU than Prescott College ($40,400.00 vs. $33,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Prescott College than PLNU ($25,317 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prescott College are 23.9% lower than costs at Point Loma Nazarene University ($9,520 vs. $11,800)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Prescott College as Point Loma Nazarene University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Prescott College students is 3.7% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($20,149 vs. $19,422)

Prescott College vs. PLNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 109 points higher than at Prescott College (1039)
  • Incoming PLNU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Prescott College (23)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Prescott College (3.19)
  • Prescott College has a higher acceptance rate (98.4%) than PLNU (81.9%)

Prescott College vs. PLNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Prescott College or PLNU? 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 PLNU and Prescott College.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than Prescott College (72% vs. 29%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $19,600 more per year than Prescott College graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $33,900)
  • Prescott College students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Prescott College graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($201 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Prescott College students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 52%)

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