Vanguard University of Southern California vs Azusa Pacific

Vanguard University of Southern California and Azusa Pacific University, both esteemed private Christian universities in Southern California, offer distinct educational experiences. Vanguard, located in Costa Mesa, boasts a lower acceptance rate of 68% compared to Azusa Pacific's 75% in Azusa. While Vanguard's student body is predominantly female (60%), Azusa Pacific's is more evenly balanced with 49% female and 51% male students. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors including Business, Psychology, and Biology. However, Vanguard excels in the sciences, with a higher graduation rate in STEM fields (67%) than Azusa Pacific (58%). To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions. Explore the table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Azusa Pacific University logo

Azusa Pacific University

Vanguard University of Southern California logo

Vanguard University of Southern California

Overview

Location Azusa, California Costa Mesa, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
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 79.0% 75.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Undenominational Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 94.1% 69.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range 966 - 1266 980 - 1200
ACT range 19 - 25 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 16.0% 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0% 5.0%
Total number of applicants 3,967 2,917
Total number of admissions given out 3,733 2,013
Admitted students who chose to enroll 636 500
Yield rate 17.0% 24.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $64,752 $60,800
Average net price $27,112 $20,427
Tuition $40,830 $37,000
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,316

Meal plan: $4,140
Room/dormitory: $6,588

Meal plan: $5,430
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $27,436
100.0%
Average amount $27,535
Students receiving federal student loan 35.0%
Average amount $5,109
95.0%
Average amount $5,626
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $19,046
3.0%
Average amount $15,362

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,939
Men 31.8% Women 68.2%
1,975
Men 31.5% Women 68.5%
Graduate students 4,187
Men 25.9% Women 74.1%
293
Men 31.4% Women 68.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 3.4% 0.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,467 1,049
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 17:1
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 71.5% 61.5%
Dropout rate 28.0% 37.7%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,116
  • Year 2: $106,724
  • Year 3: $118,408
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,222
  • Year 2: $89,570
  • Year 3: $97,162
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,763
  • Year 2: $90,146
  • Year 3: $93,165
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,455
  • Year 2: $78,719
  • Year 3: $89,214
Psychology, Other (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,966
  • Year 2: $59,722
  • Year 3: $75,095
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,775
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $69,542
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,492
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $68,256
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,482
  • Year 2: $59,425
  • Year 3: $67,433
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,617
  • Year 2: $60,234
  • Year 3: $65,281
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,760
  • Year 2: $54,585
  • Year 3: $62,117
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $116,679
  • Year 3: $134,779
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,857
  • Year 2: $91,300
  • Year 3: $89,882
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $60,756
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,112
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $47,596
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,217
  • Year 2: $40,697
  • Year 3: $45,892
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,348
  • Year 3: $42,899
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,413
  • Year 2: $33,043
  • Year 3: $39,397
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $37,493
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $35,701
Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $35,495

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