More selective than 60% 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 $93,512. College Scorecard.
Higher than 82% of California colleges we cover and 92% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 84% of California colleges we cover and 94% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Pepperdine University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 12,457 applicants, Pepperdine University admitted 6,210 and 732 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1290–1450 on the SAT or 29–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Pepperdine 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
Pepperdine University majors, earnings & careers
Pepperdine 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 · 13
- Science & Math · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Business & Finance · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at Pepperdine University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $104,943 | $24,250 |
| International Business | $100,595 | — |
| Business Administration | $91,227 | $28,000 |
| Public Relations and Advertising | $81,417 | $26,000 |
| Political Science | $75,954 | $23,625 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $65,100 | $23,336 |
| International / Global Studies | $62,495 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $61,353 | $22,580 |
Quick list of all 42 majors
- Accounting—
- Area Studies—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$55,432
- Business Administration$91,227
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Economics$104,943
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance—
- German—
- History—
- Information Technology—
- International / Global Studies$62,495
- International Business$100,595
- Journalism$58,801
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$65,100
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Natural Sciences—
- Nutrition Science—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$75,954
- Psychology$61,353
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Relations and Advertising$81,417
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre$50,594
- Writing—
— 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
Public Relations and Advertising → 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 Los Angeles
Overall prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,964. Housing costs 70% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 22 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); wildfire (very high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Los Angeles County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Los Angeles County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Pepperdine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperdine University | 63% | $58,098 | 83% | $82,939 | This school |
| CBD College | — | $23,033 | 82% | $37,237 | |
| University of the Pacific | 71% | $25,447 | 69% | $78,445 | |
| University of San Francisco | 62% | $41,431 | 70% | $89,812 | |
| Biola University | 74% | $31,495 | 68% | $56,778 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Common questions about Pepperdine University
What is the Pepperdine University acceptance rate?
Pepperdine University accepts 63% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 6,210 of 12,457 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1290–1450 on the SAT or 29–32 on the ACT.
How much does Pepperdine University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $93,512 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $58,098 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $50,560 and families earning $110k+ pay $65,081.
How much do Pepperdine University graduates earn?
Former Pepperdine University students earn a median $82,939 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Pepperdine University graduation rate?
83% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 88% return for their second year.
Is Pepperdine 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: “Pepperdine University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pepperdine-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).