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Loyola Marymount UCLA UCSD UCSB UC Davis UC Riverside Chapman UCSC USD UC Berkeley Cal Poly Oxy| University of California Irvine | Pepperdine University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
| Location | Irvine, CA | Malibu, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 36,582 | 9,545 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #93 | #143 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Churches of Christ | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uci.edu | pepperdine.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $65,990 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $65,990 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,423 | $23,270 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,647 | $52,216 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,533 | $32,986 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 91% |
Admission |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 121,101 | 12,457 | ||
| Admitted | 30,962 | 6,210 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 25.6% | 49.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.9% | 11.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.75 | 3.74 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/33 | 26/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1430 | 1250/1450 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,800 | $71,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $268 |
Diversity |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 18% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 44% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 15% | 47% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 16% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 34% | ||
Campus |
UCI | Pepperdine | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Irvine is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (36,582 students vs. 9,545 students)
UCI vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCI or Pepperdine?
- Pepperdine University is 457.6% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 54.9% higher at Pepperdine than University of California Irvine ($65,990.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than Pepperdine ($14,647 vs. $52,216)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 26.3% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($18,423 vs. $23,270)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Irvine (91% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 53.2% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($32,986 vs. $21,533)
UCI vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCI or Pepperdine? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Pepperdine or UCI .
- The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 51 points higher than at UCI (1175)
- Incoming Pepperdine students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UCI (27)
- Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
- Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than UCI (25.6%)
UCI vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCI or Pepperdine? 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 Pepperdine and UCI.
- The graduation rate at UCI is higher than Pepperdine University (85% vs. 81%)
- Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $9,900 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $61,800)
- University of California Irvine students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($17,000 vs. $26,000)
- UCI graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($175 vs. $268)
- More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 75%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/