UCSD vs. Pepperdine

Should I go to University of California San Diego or Pepperdine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD or Pepperdine 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 San Diego vs. Pepperdine University comparison
University of California San Diego Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego Pepperdine University
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Overview

UCSD Pepperdine
Location La Jolla, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 42,006 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $16,710 $18,560
Avg Net Price $16,111 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 94%

Admission

UCSD Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 11,466
Admitted 31,103 5,585
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 48.7%
Enrolled % 21% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 28/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 1285/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UCSD Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UCSD Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 85% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $191 $268

Diversity

UCSD Pepperdine
% Men 50% 33%
% Women 50% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 47%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 17% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

UCSD Pepperdine
% In-State 81% 45%
% Out-of-State 8% 43%

Campus

UCSD 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 San Diego is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 10,030 students)

UCSD vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.8% higher at Pepperdine than University of California San Diego ($62,390.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Pepperdine ($16,111 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 11.1% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($16,710 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California San Diego (94% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 55.7% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($32,348 vs. $20,782)

UCSD vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 118 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD 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 UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Pepperdine University (85% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $3,800 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $67,900)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($18,500 vs. $26,000)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($191 vs. $268)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pepperdine students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 75%)

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