La Sierra University
About
La Sierra University is a private, Seventh-day Adventist university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1922 as La Sierra Academy, it later became La Sierra College, a liberal arts college, and then was merged into Loma Linda University (LLU) in 1967 and became the Loma Linda University La Sierra College of Arts and Sciences. In 1990, the La Sierra Campus separated from Loma Linda University to become La Sierra University, an independent institution. It is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA), and several discipline-based accrediting bodies.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 3.3-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 83 Title IV programs, 11 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 72 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing11 · 13.3%
- No Data72 · 86.7%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 3
Action history · 5
- Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Mar 2021Grant Substantive Change: DegreeWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Jun 2018Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Feb 2018Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools · Theology (THEOL) - Freestanding schools, as well as programs affiliated with larger institutions, offering graduate professional education for ministry and graduate study of theology
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation · Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs
Tuition & cost
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.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 624 students received $3.6M in Pell grants, alongside $9.9M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 736 borrowers who entered repayment, 10 (1.3%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at La Sierra
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 7
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus11
- Non-campus5
Includes 2 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
La Sierra vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions La Sierra 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectLa Sierra University | 60% | 91.5% | 1,574 | $45,566 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
| 72% | 81.9% | 2,940 | $12,547 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 62% | 88.4% | 6,272 | $22,212 | R2 Research | |
| 68% | 74.3% | 5,434 | $31,495 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 62% | 84.9% | 11,902 | $26,285 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 74% | 70.9% | 3,681 | $22,992 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs | |
| 90% | 20.4% | 2,128 | $25,407 | Baccalaureate | |
| 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $46,555 | R2 Research | |
| 58% | 66.0% | 3,658 | $28,115 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 65% | 84.1% | 847 | $14,493 | Baccalaureate | |
| 46% | 90.0% | 1,665 | $19,555 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 80% | 79.2% | 3,395 | $27,182 | Baccalaureate | |
| 79% | 45.1% | 10,179 | $48,381 | R2 Research | |
| 81% | 44.2% | 1,881 | $38,263 | Baccalaureate | |
| 69% | 78.0% | 2,797 | $19,589 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 45% | 47.3% | 974 | $41,008 | Baccalaureate | |
| 83% | 62.9% | 8,976 | $58,098 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 77% | 83.7% | 4,757 | $38,729 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 58% | 38.1% | 10,657 | $19,923 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 88% | 48.0% | 9,728 | $50,062 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 62% | 83.4% | 2,261 | $24,488 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 84% | 48.3% | 3,124 | $23,874 | Baccalaureate | |
| 63% | 71.2% | 5,021 | $20,161 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 67% | 82.7% | 3,087 | $30,031 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 84% | 52.4% | 9,714 | $30,365 | R2 Research | |
| 68% | 71.3% | 6,944 | $25,447 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 58% | 50.8% | 1,426 | $23,329 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs | |
| 70% | 77.0% | 1,310 | $29,053 | Baccalaureate | |
| 85% | 87.4% | 2,874 | $26,975 | Baccalaureate | |
| Peer group median | 69% | 71.3% | 3,395 | $26,975 |
Institutions like La Sierra
Explore the federal data for institutions in La Sierra's comparison group.
- Doctoral/ProfessionalMichigan
Andrews University
Grad rate72%Admit rate81.9%Enrollment2,940Net price$12,547View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Azusa Pacific University
Grad rate62%Admit rate88.4%Enrollment6,272Net price$22,212View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Biola University
Grad rate68%Admit rate74.3%Enrollment5,434Net price$31,495View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
California Baptist University
Grad rate62%Admit rate84.9%Enrollment11,902Net price$26,285View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsMichigan
Calvin University
Grad rate74%Admit rate70.9%Enrollment3,681Net price$22,992View data - BaccalaureateMinnesota
Carleton College
Grad rate90%Admit rate20.4%Enrollment2,128Net price$25,407View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Chapman University
Grad rate82%Admit rate65.4%Enrollment9,760Net price$46,555View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Concordia University-Irvine
Grad rate58%Admit rate66.0%Enrollment3,658Net price$28,115View data - BaccalaureateIndiana
Goshen College
Grad rate65%Admit rate84.1%Enrollment847Net price$14,493View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalTexas
Hardin-Simmons University
Grad rate46%Admit rate90.0%Enrollment1,665Net price$19,555View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Hope College
Grad rate80%Admit rate79.2%Enrollment3,395Net price$27,182View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate79%Admit rate45.1%Enrollment10,179Net price$48,381View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Occidental College
Grad rate81%Admit rate44.2%Enrollment1,881Net price$38,263View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsWashington
Pacific Lutheran University
Grad rate69%Admit rate78.0%Enrollment2,797Net price$19,589View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Pacific Union College
Grad rate45%Admit rate47.3%Enrollment974Net price$41,008View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Pepperdine University
Grad rate83%Admit rate62.9%Enrollment8,976Net price$58,098View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
Point Loma Nazarene University
Grad rate77%Admit rate83.7%Enrollment4,757Net price$38,729View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalVirginia
Regent University
Grad rate58%Admit rate38.1%Enrollment10,657Net price$19,923View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Santa Clara University
Grad rate88%Admit rate48.0%Enrollment9,728Net price$50,062View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalWashington
Seattle Pacific University
Grad rate62%Admit rate83.4%Enrollment2,261Net price$24,488View data - BaccalaureateMinnesota
St Olaf College
Grad rate84%Admit rate48.3%Enrollment3,124Net price$23,874View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
University of La Verne
Grad rate63%Admit rate71.2%Enrollment5,021Net price$20,161View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
University of Redlands
Grad rate67%Admit rate82.7%Enrollment3,087Net price$30,031View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
University of San Diego
Grad rate84%Admit rate52.4%Enrollment9,714Net price$30,365View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
University of the Pacific
Grad rate68%Admit rate71.3%Enrollment6,944Net price$25,447View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsWashington
Walla Walla University
Grad rate58%Admit rate50.8%Enrollment1,426Net price$23,329View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Westmont College
Grad rate70%Admit rate77.0%Enrollment1,310Net price$29,053View data - BaccalaureateIllinois
Wheaton College
Grad rate85%Admit rate87.4%Enrollment2,874Net price$26,975View data
La Sierra Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research at La Sierra University is dedicated to providing accurate and relevant data to support informed decision-making across the university community. Our mission is to enhance institutional effectiveness through data-driven insights that foster academic excellence and operational efficiency.
Visit IR office page- D. Karina KowarschChair
Reports & documents (1)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
Notable alumni of La Sierra (13)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Yamileth Bazan
- Gary Chartier
- Patrick Crarey II
- Barbara De Angelis
- Bill Emmerson
- Earle Hilgert
- Frank Jobe
- Anthony León
- David Pendleton
- Katherine Siva Saubel
- Hope Anita Smith
- Perry Lee Wood Jr.
Frequently asked questions about La Sierra University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about La Sierra.
What is the acceptance rate at La Sierra University?
What is the graduation rate at La Sierra University?
How many students attend La Sierra University?
What is the average net price at La Sierra University?
What is the yield rate at La Sierra University?
Where is La Sierra University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at La Sierra University?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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