Point Loma Nazarene University
About
Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a private university in Point Loma in San Diego, California, United States. It was founded in 1902 as a Bible college by the Church of the Nazarene.
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 2.0-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.
Point Loma Nazarene vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions Point Loma Nazarene 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectPoint Loma Nazarene University | 77% | 83.7% | 4,757 | $50,168 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Abilene Christian University | 59% | 66.0% | 5,219 | $27,401 | Doctoral/Professional |
Anderson University | 53% | 79.3% | 1,228 | $22,144 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
Asbury University | 65% | 63.4% | 2,100 | $20,428 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
Azusa Pacific University | 62% | 88.4% | 6,272 | $19,798 | R2 Research |
Bethel University | 71% | 87.8% | 3,603 | $28,439 | Doctoral/Professional |
Biola University | 68% | 74.3% | 5,434 | $28,101 | Doctoral/Professional |
California Lutheran University | 70% | 75.7% | 3,351 | $26,433 | 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 |
George Fox University | 72% | 93.5% | 4,916 | $29,981 | Doctoral/Professional |
Gordon College | 69% | 69.2% | 1,595 | $24,817 | Baccalaureate |
Messiah University | 75% | 79.0% | 3,373 | $27,686 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
North Park University | 58% | 68.5% | 2,557 | $18,191 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Northwest Nazarene University | 71% | 64.7% | 1,635 | $25,537 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Olivet Nazarene University | 61% | 55.9% | 3,339 | $21,539 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Palm Beach Atlantic University | 55% | 82.0% | 4,147 | $32,751 | Doctoral/Professional |
Seattle Pacific University | 62% | 83.4% | 2,261 | $24,820 | Doctoral/Professional |
Taylor University | 74% | 73.5% | 2,548 | $24,327 | Baccalaureate |
Trinity College | 84% | 29.2% | 2,238 | $35,009 | Baccalaureate |
Union University | 66% | 60.4% | 2,713 | $26,815 | Doctoral/Professional |
Westmont College | 70% | 77.0% | 1,310 | $32,926 | Baccalaureate |
Wheaton College | 85% | 87.4% | 2,874 | $26,984 | Baccalaureate |
Whitworth University | 71% | 89.8% | 2,314 | $25,884 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
| Peer group median | 70% | 75.0% | 3,107 | $26,624 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research at Point Loma Nazarene University provides a range of data publications, including annual DataPoint reports and the Common Data Set (CDS) in various formats. The office's contact information includes a phone number, physical address, and links to recent data publications and the CDS.
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.
Documents & reports (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookInstitutional Research - Point Loma Nazarene University2025The Institutional Research page at Point Loma Nazarene University provides access to DataPoint publications and the Common Data Set from recent years. Key metrics include enrollment, admissions, graduation and retention rates, and California License Examination Passage Rates. The DataPoints are available for various years up to 2025, and Common Data Set information is provided for the same period.pointloma.edu
- GlossaryInstitutional ResearchThis section of Point Loma Nazarene University's website provides details about the Institutional Research office, including a list of publications like the PLNU DataPoint and Common Data Set. It offers links to view data sets and reports across several years (from 2013 to 2025) in various formats, such as Word, PDF, and Excel, focusing on metrics like enrollment, admissions, and graduation rates.pointloma.edu
- Strategic planOnePLNU2026The OnePLNU initiative by Point Loma Nazarene University is a strategic plan to assess opportunities and prepare for future challenges within the context of higher education. It focuses on cultivating a faith-centered mission, fostering a community of belonging, shaping a future-oriented academy, and stewarding resources wisely. The plan underscores the importance of innovation, engagement with diverse perspectives, and alignment with the university's core Christian values.pointloma.edu
Notable alumni (29)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Micah Albert
- Ally Beardsley
- Ron Benefiel
- Ed Blakely
- Warren S. Brown
- Larry Alan Burns
- Robert D. Clark
- Destin Daniel Cretton
- Jordan Cunningham
- Natalie Harp
- Hoku
- Darlene Hooley
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about Point Loma Nazarene University and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card