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Compare colleges

Up to 4 at once. Figures are from the 2022-23 reporting year and are averages, so they will differ from what any one student pays or experiences.

  • California Lutheran University
  • Occidental College

What stands out

California Lutheran University has the lower average net price, Occidental College reports the higher graduation rate, Occidental College reports higher median earnings ten years on, while California Lutheran University leaves graduates with less median federal debt. Which of those matters more depends on what you need, and none of it predicts your own cost or your own chance of admission.

California Lutheran University compared with Occidental College
MetricCalifornia Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CAPrivate nonprofit · 4-yearLowest net priceLowest median debtOccidental CollegeLos Angeles, CAPrivate nonprofit · 4-yearHighest graduation rateHighest retentionHighest median earnings
Cost
Average net priceWhat students on federal aid actually paid per year, after grants.$30,109lowest$38,263
Published costSticker price before aid. Few students pay it.$68,426$84,800
In-state tuition$52,560$66,274
Out-of-state tuition$52,560$66,274
Admissions
Acceptance rate76%44%
SAT midpoint1,1901,415
ACT midpoint2632
Outcomes
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time. Excludes transfer students.72%83%highest
Retention rateFirst-year students who come back for a second year.79%90%highest
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only. Private and parent loans are not included.$21,669lowest$23,000
Median earnings, 10 yrsReflects the subjects a college teaches and where it sits, not only its teaching.$68,712$75,951highest
Campus
Undergraduates2,2961,877

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2022-23. Blank figures mean the college did not report that measure, not that the value is zero. Acceptance rate and enrollment carry no highlight because neither a lower acceptance rate nor a larger campus is better in itself. How this works.