More selective than 47% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $68,426. College Scorecard.
Higher than 64% of California colleges we cover and 78% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 64% of California colleges we cover and 84% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
California Lutheran University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,290 applicants, California Lutheran University admitted 4,702 and 575 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1150–1330 on the SAT or 24–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
California Lutheran University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
California Lutheran University majors, earnings & careers
California Lutheran University offers 42 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Science & Math · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Business & Finance · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Engineering · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at California Lutheran University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $89,573 | $21,858 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $83,310 | $24,728 |
| Computer Science | $77,030 | $25,500 |
| Business Administration | $76,916 | $23,250 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $70,409 | $22,875 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $68,806 | $24,000 |
| Sociology | $67,998 | — |
| Biology | $64,939 | $24,962 |
Quick list of all 42 majors
- Accounting$89,573
- Agricultural Engineering—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$64,939
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business Administration$76,916
- Chemistry—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$68,806
- Communications$61,653
- Computer Science$77,030
- Criminal Justice$63,433
- Criminology—
- Economics—
- English$52,428
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History—
- Hospitality Management—
- Information Science / Studies—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$59,820
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$60,806
- Management Science / Analytics$83,310
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$70,409
- Music$32,316
- Pharmacology and Toxicology—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$60,243
- Psychology$59,153
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology$67,998
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Oxnard
Overall prices in the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,424. Housing costs 71% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 16 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Ventura County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Ventura County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare California Lutheran University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Lutheran University | 76% | $30,109 | 70% | $68,712 | This school |
| Westmont College | 77% | $29,053 | 70% | $64,778 | |
| Art Center College of Design | 75% | $48,661 | 79% | $71,958 | |
| University of Redlands | 83% | $30,031 | 67% | $72,690 | |
| Biola University | 74% | $31,495 | 68% | $56,778 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
California Lutheran University would cost you $1,056 more per year than Westmont College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at California Lutheran University, mostly from more California Lutheran University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$5,056).
- Westmont College gives aided families $3,780 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | California Lutheran University | Westmont College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $52,560 | $53,584 | −$1,024 |
| Books & supplies | $936 | $1,600 | −$664 |
| Housing & meals | $17,734 | $16,360 | +$1,374 |
| Personal & travel | $4,046 | $1,400 | +$2,646 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,850 | −$1,794 | −$5,056 |
| Sticker price | $68,426 | $71,150 | −$2,724 |
| Average grants | −$38,317 | −$42,097 | +$3,780 |
| You pay | $30,109 | $29,053 | +$1,056 |
“+” means California Lutheran University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about California Lutheran University
What is the California Lutheran University acceptance rate?
California Lutheran University accepts 76% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,702 of 5,290 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1150–1330 on the SAT or 24–31 on the ACT.
How much does California Lutheran University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $68,426 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $30,109 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $22,161 and families earning $110k+ pay $38,364.
How much do California Lutheran University graduates earn?
Former California Lutheran University students earn a median $68,712 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the California Lutheran University graduation rate?
70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
Is California Lutheran University the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “California Lutheran University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-lutheran-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).