UCSC vs. PLNU

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

 UCSC PLNU
Location Santa Cruz, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,478 4,319
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #292
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu pointloma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC PLNU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $40,400
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $40,400
Room & Board $18,185 $11,800
Avg Net Price $17,975 $34,933
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $19,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 100%

Admission

 UCSC PLNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 3,149
Admitted 30,926 2,580
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 81.9%
Enrolled % 12.5% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 22/30
SAT Range 1160/1360 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

 UCSC PLNU
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 (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 UCSC PLNU
Graduation Rate 73% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $258

Diversity

 UCSC PLNU
% Men 50% 34%
% Women 50% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 59%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 31% 23%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UCSC PLNU
% In-State 90% 70%
% Out-of-State 7% 29%

Campus

 UCSC 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 Santa Cruz is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 4,319 students)

UCSC vs. PLNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or PLNU?

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 249.4% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at UCSC 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 Santa Cruz than PLNU ($17,975 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 54.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($11,800 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than University of California Santa Cruz (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 9.2% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($21,202 vs. $19,422)

UCSC vs. PLNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 53 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. PLNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (73% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $3,100 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $5,041 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($19,959 vs. $25,000)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($206 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 74%)

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