UCI vs. PLNU

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

 UCI PLNU
Location Irvine, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 35,937 4,319
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #292
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu pointloma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCI PLNU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $40,400
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $40,400
Room & Board $17,699 $11,800
Avg Net Price $14,033 $34,933
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $19,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 UCI PLNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 3,149
Admitted 25,212 2,580
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 81.9%
Enrolled % 22.5% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 26/33 22/30
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 Nov 30, 2024 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 UCI PLNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 UCI PLNU
Graduation Rate 85% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $258

Diversity

 UCI PLNU
% Men 45% 34%
% Women 55% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 59%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 25% 23%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UCI PLNU
% In-State 81% 70%
% Out-of-State 7% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Irvine is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (35,937 students vs. 4,319 students)

UCI vs. PLNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or PLNU?

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 249.4% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at UCI than Point Loma Nazarene University ($41,636.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than PLNU ($14,033 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 50% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($11,800 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than University of California Irvine (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Point Loma Nazarene University students is 11.6% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($19,422 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. PLNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Irvine (1175) is 27 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming UCI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. PLNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (85% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $8,300 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $53,500)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,000)
  • UCI graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($175 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCI students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 76%)

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