Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) vs Pepperdine

Point Loma Nazarene University and Pepperdine University, both esteemed private Christian institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Point Loma, located in San Diego, California, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Pepperdine's selective 34%. Pepperdine, situated in Malibu, California, stands out with its higher graduation rate (88%) and a larger student body (8,344 undergraduates) compared to Point Loma's 3,600. While Point Loma's popular majors include nursing, business, and psychology, Pepperdine offers a wider range of programs, including business, communication, and public policy. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Pepperdine University logo

Pepperdine University

Point Loma Nazarene University logo

Point Loma Nazarene University

Overview

Location Malibu, California San Diego, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Churches of Christ Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 52.7% 83.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1260 - 1440 1170 - 1350
ACT range 25 - 30 22 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 19.0% 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0% 10.0%
Total number of applicants 11,855 3,060
Total number of admissions given out 6,249 2,560
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,024 662
Yield rate 16.4% 25.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $80,152 $62,642
Average net price $40,945 $34,851
Tuition $59,450 $38,800
Room & board $16,700 $11,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $36,967
100.0%
Average amount $18,365
Students receiving federal student loan 38.0%
Average amount $5,171
45.0%
Average amount $5,325
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $12,899
6.0%
Average amount $22,040

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,708
Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
3,174
Men 34.3% Women 65.7%
Graduate students 6,738
Men 30.2% Women 69.8%
1,271
Men 29.2% Women 70.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 46.9% 26.3%
International students 8.3% 1.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,579 1,845
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas Washington Colorado Arizona California Washington Colorado Arizona Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Legal Profession
  • Education
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 83.0% 72.7%
Dropout rate 16.6% 3.8%
Transferred out N/A 22.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,699
  • Year 2: $92,733
  • Year 3: $106,087
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,518
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $93,293
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,829
  • Year 2: $96,691
  • Year 3: $91,701
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,898
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $90,146
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,350
  • Year 2: $62,508
  • Year 3: $75,589
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,825
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $71,546
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,559
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $70,082
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,228
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $65,821
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,799
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $58,854
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,780
  • Year 2: $46,156
  • Year 3: $56,663
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,619
  • Year 2: $118,210
  • Year 3: $128,990
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,406
  • Year 2: $85,206
  • Year 3: $89,492
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,310
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $80,351
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $76,001
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $74,448
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,649
  • Year 2: $61,681
  • Year 3: $59,139
Business/Corporate Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,198
  • Year 2: $40,402
  • Year 3: $43,339
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,184
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $43,147
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,147
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $41,978
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,647
  • Year 2: $30,228
  • Year 3: $35,103

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