Biola University
About
Biola University is a private, nondenominational, evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California, United States. It was founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles as a center for biblical and missionary training. Its campus in downtown Los Angeles features iconic "Jesus Saves" signs and a 3,500-seat auditorium. In 1949, it became Biola College and later adopted the name Biola University in 1981. The school relocated to La Mirada, California, in 1959 and has maintained a strong evangelical identity rooted in conservative theology, as reflected in its association with The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth.
Admissions funnel
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Outcomes & equity
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 7.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
What families actually pay
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Biola vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions Biola selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectBiola University | 68% | 74.3% | 5,434 | $28,101 | Doctoral/Professional |
Abilene Christian University | 59% | 66.0% | 5,219 | $27,401 | Doctoral/Professional |
Azusa Pacific University | 62% | 88.4% | 6,272 | $19,798 | R2 Research |
California Baptist University | 62% | 84.9% | 11,902 | $27,384 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Calvin University | 74% | 70.9% | 3,681 | $24,783 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
Chapman University | 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $47,527 | R2 Research |
Concordia University-Irvine | 58% | 66.0% | 3,658 | $28,046 | Doctoral/Professional |
Concordia University-Wisconsin | 69% | 78.2% | 5,253 | $26,067 | Doctoral/Professional |
Gordon College | 69% | 69.2% | 1,595 | $24,817 | Baccalaureate |
Grand Canyon University | 43% | 78.9% | 113,257 | $21,931 | Doctoral/Professional |
Liberty University | 67% | 99.0% | 104,327 | $29,552 | Doctoral/Professional |
Los Angeles Pacific University | 17% | — | 1,881 | $20,170 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Pepperdine University | 83% | 62.9% | 8,976 | $45,409 | Doctoral/Professional |
Point Loma Nazarene University | 77% | 83.7% | 4,757 | $50,168 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Seattle Pacific University | 62% | 83.4% | 2,261 | $24,820 | Doctoral/Professional |
Vanguard University of Southern California | 57% | 62.4% | 2,246 | $19,761 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Westmont College | 70% | 77.0% | 1,310 | $32,926 | Baccalaureate |
Wheaton College | 85% | 87.4% | 2,874 | $26,984 | Baccalaureate |
| Peer group median | 68% | 77.0% | 4,988 | $27,184 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office provides data about the University, conducts analyses, research and evaluation, and offers consulting to activate data-informed decision-making for improving student success and experience.
Visit IR office pageCommon Data Set (11)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Documents & reports (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data dictionaryData dictionaryThe Data Dictionary page for Biola University's University Analytics provides access to various data reports and consumer information, including enrollment profiles, common data sets from 2007 to 2026, university and program learning outcomes, career outcomes, and retention and graduation rates. It also mentions the availability of enrollment profiles upon request and that graduation rate disclosures are published in the Academic Catalog.biola.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookData and Reports - University Analytics - Biola University2025This page from Biola University's University Analytics provides data and reports regarding the institution's enrollment statistics, common data sets, educational outcomes, and graduation rate disclosures. The reports are curated by the University Analytics office, providing insights into university learning outcomes, program learning outcomes, and career outcomes. The most recent common data set covered is for the year 2025-26. Enrollment profiles can be requested for more detailed information, and graduation rates are disclosed in the academic catalog.biola.edu
Grants & funding opportunities (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni (7)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Neil T. AndersonTheology
- Scott DerricksonFilm
- Judith HillMusic
- Josh McDowellTheology
- Nabeel QureshiWriting
- John ThunePolitics
- Charles E. FullerMinistry
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