Liberty University vs University of Phoenix-California

Liberty University and University of Phoenix-California, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students with diverse aspirations. Liberty University, a private Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia, boasts a sprawling campus and a strong emphasis on faith-based education. In contrast, University of Phoenix-California, a private for-profit university with multiple campuses across the state, caters to working adults seeking flexible and career-oriented programs. While both universities share commonalities, such as offering online and on-campus programs, they differ significantly in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
Liberty University logo

Liberty University

University of Phoenix-California logo

University of Phoenix-California

Overview

Location Lynchburg, Virginia Ontario, California
Campus setting City: Small City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (For Profit)
Calendar system Semester Non Traditional
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 99.3% N/A
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 28,448
Total number of admissions given out 28,244
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,461
Yield rate 19.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A Not required
High school GPA Required N/A
Recommendation letters Not required N/A
High school transcript Not required N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $42,620
Average net price $27,891
Tuition $21,663
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,150

Meal plan: $4,560
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

89.0%
Average amount $12,431
67.0%
Average amount $3,882
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $5,619
67.0%
Average amount $6,228
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $17,351
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 47,696
Men 43.0% Women 57.0%
1,161
Men 64.2% Women 35.8%
Graduate students 47,013
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
434
Men 41.5% Women 58.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 76.0% N/A
International students 0.7% N/A
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 8,222 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia North Carolina Pennsylvania Texas Florida N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Theology
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 62.1% 18.8%
Dropout rate 30.2% 75.0%
Transferred out 5.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,316
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $91,964
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,385
  • Year 2: $80,964
  • Year 3: $87,831
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,657
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $77,205
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,410
  • Year 2: $72,022
  • Year 3: $73,900
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,556
  • Year 2: $51,106
  • Year 3: $65,313
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,731
  • Year 2: $62,936
  • Year 3: $64,580
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,576
  • Year 2: $57,705
  • Year 3: $62,807
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,423
  • Year 2: $57,714
  • Year 3: $62,225
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $40,885
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $62,169
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,240
  • Year 2: $59,895
  • Year 3: $61,052
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,867
  • Year 2: $100,487
  • Year 3: $98,209
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,805
  • Year 2: $88,250
  • Year 3: $91,501
Computer Programming (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $47,265
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $72,728
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,781
  • Year 2: $65,544
  • Year 3: $68,025
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,875
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $67,814
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $52,726
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $62,239
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,471
  • Year 2: $60,173
  • Year 3: $59,527
Computer Systems Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,874
  • Year 2: $57,544
  • Year 3: $58,877
Computer Programming (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,361
  • Year 2: $54,967
  • Year 3: $58,541
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,919
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $57,745

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