Pepperdine University
About
Pepperdine University is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ and with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, California. Founded by entrepreneur George Pepperdine in South Los Angeles in 1937, the school expanded to Malibu in 1972. Courses are now taught at the main Malibu campus, as well as the graduate campuses in the United States, Latin America, and Europe.
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 3.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 86 Title IV programs, 24 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 62 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing24 · 27.9%
- No Data62 · 72.1%
- 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 · 7
Action history · 9
- May 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Aug 2024Grant Substantive Change: ProgramWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Oct 2023Renewal of AccreditationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics
- Feb 2022Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Oct 2018Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar · Law (LAW) - Professional schools
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, 867 students received $5.6M in Pell grants, alongside $236.2M 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 1,640 borrowers who entered repayment, 10 (0.6%) 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 Pepperdine
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 · 12
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 campus28
Includes 14 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
- London1 fireHeating equipmentDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Pepperdine vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Pepperdine 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectPepperdine University | 83% | — | 8,976 | $45,409 | Doctoral/Professional |
Baylor University | 80% | 51.3% | 20,626 | $41,942 | R1 Research |
Calvin University | 74% | 70.9% | 3,681 | $24,783 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
Loyola Marymount University | 79% | 45.1% | 10,179 | $45,723 | R2 Research |
Macalester College | 87% | 28.5% | 2,138 | $29,980 | Baccalaureate |
Occidental College | 81% | 44.2% | 1,881 | $39,329 | Baccalaureate |
Santa Clara University | 88% | 48.0% | 9,728 | $50,959 | Doctoral/Professional |
Southern Methodist University | 84% | 63.3% | 12,116 | $41,778 | R2 Research |
St Olaf College | 84% | 48.3% | 3,124 | $22,752 | Baccalaureate |
University of San Diego | 84% | 52.4% | 9,714 | $31,265 | R2 Research |
Valparaiso University | 70% | 89.4% | 2,579 | $21,583 | Doctoral/Professional |
Wheaton College | 85% | 87.4% | 2,874 | $26,984 | Baccalaureate |
| Peer group median | 84% | 51.3% | 6,329 | $35,297 |
Pepperdine Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness serves to facilitate data-driven decisions by providing interactive dashboards and supporting the university community with various data reporting services.
Visit IR office pageCommon Data Set (1)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionWhat is a Data Dictionary? | OBI | Pepperdine CommunityThe Pepperdine University Data Dictionary page provides an overview of the critical function and importance of maintaining a data dictionary. It highlights the role of the Data Cookbook, Pepperdine's official data dictionary, as a dynamically collaborative tool that ensures data consistency and accuracy across the institution. This page emphasizes fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration, enhancing data validity, and clarifying business processes, helping the university progress toward its strategic goals.community.pepperdine.edu
- Data dictionaryUniversity Data Dictionary Listing2026The Pepperdine University's data dictionary provides a comprehensive list of the most recently-approved data definitions. Users can navigate through definitions to access technical details, synonyms, and applicable data systems through the Data Cookbook. The page allows for a detailed search and filtering of terms by alphabets.community.pepperdine.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFactbook | Pepperdine University2026The Pepperdine University Factbook provides an overview of key institutional statistics and metrics, including enrollment figures, degrees conferred, and faculty data. Managed by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the factbook is an integral resource for understanding the academic and operational environment of the university. It includes detailed sections on various schools within the university, student life, and the institution's global impact. The most recent publication year is 2026.pepperdine.edu
- GlossaryAssessment GlossaryThe Pepperdine University Assessment Glossary provides a comprehensive overview of key terms and concepts used within the university's institutional assessment processes. The glossary includes definitions for terminology related to program and institutional learning outcomes, assessment plans and processes, types of evidence, and specific educational practices, emphasizing the importance of alignment, benchmarking, and ongoing improvement in student learning outcomes.pepperdine.edu
- Strategic planPepperdine 2020: Boundless Horizons2011The strategic plan 'Pepperdine 2020: Boundless Horizons' is the culmination of five years of discussion and collaboration among various stakeholders of Pepperdine University. Initiated in 2006, the plan involved comprehensive assessments and feedback from multiple committees and community members. It was officially adopted by the Board of Regents in June 2011 to guide the University's aspirations and address key trends impacting its future.pepperdine.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Pepperdine (28)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Mike AamodtAcademia
- Christopher ChetsangaAcademia
- Michael ShermerAcademia
- Rick J. CarusoBusiness
- Benjamin de RothschildBusiness
- Julia HartzBusiness
- Oscar MunozBusiness
- Jeffrey SprecherBusiness
- Michelle FieldsMedia
- Adam HousleyMedia
- Bill WeirMedia
- Joel WidzerMedia
Frequently asked questions about Pepperdine University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Pepperdine.
What is the graduation rate at Pepperdine University?
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Who runs Institutional Research at Pepperdine University?
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