UC Riverside vs. PLNU

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

 UC Riverside PLNU
Location Riverside, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,809 4,319
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #292
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu pointloma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Riverside PLNU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $40,400
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $40,400
Room & Board $17,333 $11,800
Avg Net Price $14,487 $34,933
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $19,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

 UC Riverside PLNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 3,149
Admitted 37,563 2,580
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 81.9%
Enrolled % 14.8% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 22/30
SAT Range 1080/1280 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

 UC Riverside PLNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 UC Riverside PLNU
Graduation Rate 67% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $197 $258

Diversity

 UC Riverside PLNU
% Men 49% 34%
% Women 51% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 13% 59%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 36% 23%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UC Riverside PLNU
% In-State 94% 70%
% Out-of-State 2% 29%

Campus

 UC Riverside 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 Riverside is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (26,809 students vs. 4,319 students)

UC Riverside vs. PLNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or PLNU?

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 249.4% more expensive to attend than UC Riverside for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at UC Riverside 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 Riverside than PLNU ($14,487 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 46.9% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($11,800 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than University of California Riverside (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 13.5% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($22,042 vs. $19,422)

UC Riverside vs. PLNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 29 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. PLNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than University of California Riverside (72% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $1,300 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $52,200)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $5,891 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($19,109 vs. $25,000)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($197 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 65%)

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