UCSB vs. Pepperdine

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

UCSB Pepperdine
Location Santa Barbara, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,420 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $16,883 $18,560
Avg Net Price $16,874 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 94%

Admission

UCSB Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 11,466
Admitted 28,688 5,585
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 48.7%
Enrolled % 17.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 28/32
SAT Range 1230/1460 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

UCSB Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UCSB Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 80% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $170 $268

Diversity

UCSB Pepperdine
% Men 45% 33%
% Women 55% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 47%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 26% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

UCSB Pepperdine
% In-State 78% 45%
% Out-of-State 10% 43%

Campus

UCSB 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 Santa Barbara is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (26,420 students vs. 10,030 students)

UCSB vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UCSB 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 Santa Barbara ($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 Santa Barbara than Pepperdine ($16,874 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 9.9% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($16,883 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Santa Barbara (94% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 58.7% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($32,348 vs. $20,389)

UCSB vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 22 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB 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 UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSB 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 UCSB.

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (81% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $12,700 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $9,549 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($16,451 vs. $26,000)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($170 vs. $268)
  • More Pepperdine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 73%)

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