- The Inkwell
- California
- Pepperdine University


Malibu, CASuburb: largeZIP 90263Founded 1937
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1937
- Motto
- Freely ye received, freely give.
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral/professional university
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.pepperdine.edu
CaliforniaReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private nonprofit university in Malibu, California, with 3,553 undergraduates. It admits 63% of applicants, graduates 78% within six years and costs $48,065 a year after aid.
78%graduate
Admission rate63%
Retention88%
4-year graduation67%
Pell Grant share24%
Federal loans40%
$48,065net price / year
63%admission rate
1384average SAT
78%graduate in 6 years
$89,410median earnings, 10 yrs
$21,500median debt
#116 of 1,704 for earnings#1,708 of 1,739 for lowest net price#210 of 1,738 for graduation rate#417 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $95,168tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $72,672
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $72,672
- Average net price
- $48,065national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$38,093
$30,001–48,000$35,990
$48,001–75,000$38,110
$75,001–110,000$42,539
$110,001+$63,600
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 63%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1384
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 650–710
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 640–740
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 29–32
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college63%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college88%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college78%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college24%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 78%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 67%
- First-year retention
- 88%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 84%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $61,977
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $89,410middle 50%: $61,287–$131,138
- Median debt at graduation
- $21,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$131,138
Median, Pepperdine University$89,410
Lower quarter$61,287
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 3,553
- Part-time
- 4.6%
- Women / men
- 60% / 40%
- Average age at entry
- 20.9
- First-generation students
- 18%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 24%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 12 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 47%
- Average faculty salary
- $14,314 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $10,390
- Endowment, end of year
- $1,319,031,000
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White44%
Hispanic19%
Black3.7%
Asian15%
Two or more races7.3%
U.S. nonresident7.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
Unknown2.7%
17 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management23%
Communication & journalism14%
Social sciences12%
Multi/interdisciplinary studies11%
Psychology10%
Parks, recreation & fitness7.1%
Biological & biomedical sciences6.0%
Visual & performing arts5.6%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in California
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biola University La Mirada, CA | $32,530 | 68% | $64,126 |
| University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | $24,186 | 73% | $88,053 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | $40,555 | 77% | $68,713 |
| University of La Verne La Verne, CA | $20,523 | 61% | $74,115 |
| Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA | $22,597 | 63% | $71,595 |
| California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | $26,445 | 69% | $77,620 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart University Fairfield, CT | $45,827 | 77% | $80,896 |
| Albizu University-Miami Miami, FL | $50,399 | 80% | $48,006 |
| Yeshiva University New York, NY | $49,210 | 87% | $77,098 |
| Fairfield University Fairfield, CT | $49,906 | 85% | $101,587 |
| Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT | $41,729 | 79% | $87,596 |
| Misericordia University Dallas, PA | $40,348 | 73% | $69,735 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 121150. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q117876.