UCSC vs. Pepperdine

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

UCSC Pepperdine
Location Santa Cruz, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 19,478 10,030
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $62,390
Room & Board $18,185 $18,560
Avg Net Price $17,975 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 94%

Admission

UCSC Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 11,466
Admitted 30,926 5,585
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 48.7%
Enrolled % 12.5% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/33 28/32
SAT Range 1160/1360 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

UCSC Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UCSC Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 73% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $268

Diversity

UCSC Pepperdine
% Men 50% 33%
% Women 50% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 47%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 31% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

UCSC Pepperdine
% In-State 90% 45%
% Out-of-State 7% 43%

Campus

UCSC 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 Cruz is larger than than Pepperdine based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 10,030 students)

UCSC vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 439.5% more expensive to attend than UCSC 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 Cruz ($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 Cruz than Pepperdine ($17,975 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Cruz are 2.1% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($18,185 vs. $18,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than University of California Santa Cruz (94% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pepperdine University students is 52.6% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($32,348 vs. $21,202)

UCSC vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pepperdine University (1226) is 25 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming UCSC students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Pepperdine students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at Pepperdine is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (81% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Pepperdine University earn on average $21,300 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($71,700 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $6,041 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($19,959 vs. $26,000)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($206 vs. $268)
  • More Pepperdine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 74%)

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