Palm Beach Atlantic University
About
Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) is a private nondenominational Christian university in West Palm Beach, Florida. PBA's nine colleges focus on the liberal arts with a select collection of professional studies. In 2024, PBA's undergraduate enrollment was approximately 2,600.
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
Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates — a notably small equity gap.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 88 Title IV programs, 15 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 73 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing15 · 17.0%
- No Data73 · 83.0%
- 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.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 6
Action history · 19
- Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Oct 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jun 2025Renewal of AccreditationAccreditation Council for Pharmacy Education · Pharmacy (PHAR) - Professional degree programs
- Jun 2025Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Nov 2024Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
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, 976 students received $5.4M in Pell grants, alongside $27.1M 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 901 borrowers who entered repayment, 13 (1.4%) 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 Palm Beach Atlantic
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 · 11
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 campus6
Includes 4 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.
Palm Beach Atlantic vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Palm Beach Atlantic 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectPalm Beach Atlantic University | 55% | — | 4,147 | $32,751 | 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 |
Barry University | 37% | 77.2% | 6,825 | $22,978 | Doctoral/Professional |
Bethel University | 71% | 87.8% | 3,603 | $28,439 | Doctoral/Professional |
Biola University | 68% | 74.3% | 5,434 | $28,101 | Doctoral/Professional |
Calvin University | 74% | 70.9% | 3,681 | $24,783 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
Dallas Baptist University | 58% | 88.8% | 4,124 | $30,092 | Doctoral/Professional |
Eckerd College | 66% | 75.8% | 1,893 | $33,011 | Baccalaureate |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | 67% | 64.8% | 11,426 | $40,289 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Florida Institute of Technology | 62% | 57.7% | 8,992 | $35,300 | R2 Research |
Florida Southern College | 71% | 64.4% | 3,211 | $29,664 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Gordon College | 69% | 69.2% | 1,595 | $24,817 | Baccalaureate |
Houston Christian University | 49% | 84.4% | 4,276 | $19,710 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Lee University | 63% | 70.5% | 3,714 | $20,399 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Lynn University | 52% | 73.5% | 3,514 | $38,222 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
North Park University | 58% | 68.5% | 2,557 | $18,191 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Nova Southeastern University | 63% | 73.2% | 20,910 | $31,303 | R2 Research |
Point Loma Nazarene University | 77% | 83.7% | 4,757 | $50,168 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Rollins College | 75% | 47.5% | 3,046 | $33,847 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Saint Leo University | 44% | 78.4% | 9,692 | $18,467 | Doctoral/Professional |
Samford University | 77% | 82.4% | 6,097 | $30,795 | Doctoral/Professional |
Seattle Pacific University | 62% | 83.4% | 2,261 | $24,820 | Doctoral/Professional |
The University of Tampa | 64% | 40.3% | 11,433 | $35,634 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Union University | 66% | 60.4% | 2,713 | $26,815 | Doctoral/Professional |
Wheaton College | 85% | 87.4% | 2,874 | $26,984 | Baccalaureate |
| Peer group median | 64% | 73.5% | 4,136 | $28,270 |
Palm Beach Atlantic Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is responsible for providing campus data and research information to students, faculty, administrators, media and community members locally and across the nation.
Visit IR office pageCommon Data Set (17)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionCommon Data SetThe Common Data Set page from Palm Beach Atlantic University provides detailed information and data pertaining to various aspects of university life and administration. It covers topics such as general information, enrollment statistics, admission processes, academic offerings, student life, tuition and financial aid, faculty details, and more. The initiative aims to improve informational quality and lessen reporting burdens on institutions.pba.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookPalm Beach Atlantic University Fact Book2023Palm Beach Atlantic University is a comprehensive Christian university located in West Palm Beach, Florida. Established in 1968, it provides education to over 4,271 students across undergraduate, graduate, and online programs. Key metrics include that 84% of the faculty hold the highest degree in their field, and students contribute an average of 45 service hours annually. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the university's programs boast specialized accreditations, such as AACSB for Business. PBA emphasizes a whole-person education approach, guiding students toward fulfilling service and impactful leadership. The Fact Book offers detailed insights into financial information, awards, undergraduate trends, degree completion, and faculty demographics.pba.edu
- Strategic planVision 2010 - PBA's Strategic Plan2006Vision 2010 is Palm Beach Atlantic University's strategic plan outlining institutional priorities for the next five years. The plan focuses on themes such as institutional identity, learning culture, employee retention, student success, and campus facilities development. Emphasizing systematic planning and a commitment to improvement, the document serves as a roadmap for the university's development through 2010.my.pba.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Palm Beach Atlantic (14)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Lizbeth BenacquistoPolitics
- Ric BradshawLaw Enforcement
- Mike DoneheyMusic
- Nicole Hernandez HammerScience
- Victoria JacksonEntertainment
- Martin David KiarPolitics
- Molly MichaelPolitics
- Ruthie Ann MilesTheatre
- Tyler Jacob MooreEntertainment
- Jennifer RothschildWriting
- Susan SherouseMusic
- Priscilla TaylorPolitics
Frequently asked questions about Palm Beach Atlantic University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Palm Beach Atlantic.
What is the graduation rate at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
How many students attend Palm Beach Atlantic University?
What is the average net price at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
What is the yield rate at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
Where is Palm Beach Atlantic University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
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