Westcliff University
About
Westcliff University (WU) is a private, for-profit university in Irvine, California. Founded in 1993, it offers bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees, as well as certificate programs and continuing education courses.
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 54.8-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 37 Title IV programs, 0 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 37 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing0 · 0.0%
- No Data37 · 100.0%
- 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.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Action history · 13
- Dec 2025Grant Substantive Change: Final Branch ApprovalWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Mar 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Mar 2025Grant Substantive Change: Final Branch ApprovalWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Mar 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Jun 2024Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
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, 177 students received $1.1M in Pell grants, alongside $16.7M 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 33 borrowers who entered repayment, 7 (21.2%) defaulted within three years — above 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 Westcliff
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
- Non-campus2
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.
Westcliff vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Westcliff 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectWestcliff University | 62% | 73.2% | 7,686 | $35,426 | — |
| 0% | 18.5% | 247 | $12,480 | — | |
| 29% | 100.0% | 107 | $12,855 | — | |
| 33% | Not reported | 114 | $29,477 | — | |
| 17% | 100.0% | 522 | $28,229 | — | |
| 0% | Not reported | 1 | $40,030 | — | |
| 0% | Not reported | 17 | $22,609 | — | |
| 0% | Not reported | 19 | $36,609 | — | |
| 49% | 95.9% | 1,467 | $38,667 | — | |
| 100% | Open admission | 220 | $26,879 | — | |
| 72% | Open admission | 319 | $10,637 | — | |
| 25% | Open admission | 59 | $24,840 | — | |
| 25% | Open admission | 4,916 | $18,318 | — | |
| 8% | Open admission | 12,098 | $17,833 | — | |
| 38% | Open admission | 1,290 | $18,092 | — | |
| 0% | Open admission | 2,110 | $17,979 | — | |
| 0% | Open admission | 1,965 | $11,645 | — | |
| 25% | Open admission | 2,508 | $17,517 | — | |
| 40% | No freshman entry | 6 | $11,854 | — | |
| 50% | Open admission | 551 | $21,564 | — | |
| 27% | Open admission | 1,241 | $18,868 | — | |
| Peer group median | 25% | 95.9% | 522 | $18,868 |
Institutions like Westcliff
Explore the federal data for institutions in Westcliff's comparison group.
- California
California Miramar University
Grad rate0%Admit rate18.5%Enrollment247Net price$12,480View data - New York
DeVry College of New York
Grad rate29%Admit rate100.0%Enrollment107Net price$12,855View data - Florida
DeVry University-Florida
Grad rate33%Admit rateNot reportedEnrollment114Net price$29,477View data - Georgia
DeVry University-Georgia
Grad rate17%Admit rate100.0%Enrollment522Net price$28,229View data - Nevada
DeVry University-Nevada
Grad rate0%Admit rateNot reportedEnrollment1Net price$40,030View data - Texas
DeVry University-Texas
Grad rate0%Admit rateNot reportedEnrollment17Net price$22,609View data - Virginia
DeVry University-Virginia
Grad rate0%Admit rateNot reportedEnrollment19Net price$36,609View data - New York
LIM College
Grad rate49%Admit rate95.9%Enrollment1,467Net price$38,667View data - Florida
Millennia Atlantic University
Grad rate100%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment220Net price$26,879View data - Florida
San Ignacio University
Grad rate72%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment319Net price$10,637View data - Florida
Schiller International University
Grad rate25%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment59Net price$24,840View data - Georgia
Strayer University-Georgia
Grad rate25%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,916Net price$18,318View data - District of Columbia
Strayer University-Global Region
Grad rate8%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,098Net price$17,833View data - Maryland
Strayer University-Maryland
Grad rate38%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment1,290Net price$18,092View data - South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Grad rate0%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment2,110Net price$17,979View data - Tennessee
Strayer University-Tennessee
Grad rate0%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment1,965Net price$11,645View data - Texas
Strayer University-Texas
Grad rate25%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment2,508Net price$17,517View data - Texas
University of Phoenix-Texas
Grad rate40%Admit rateNo freshman entryEnrollment6Net price$11,854View data - Virginia
University of the Potomac-VA Campus
Grad rate50%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment551Net price$21,564View data - District of Columbia
University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus
Grad rate27%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment1,241Net price$18,868View data
Westcliff Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The purpose of these data is to effectively demonstrate how well Westcliff achieves its goals and objectives, which focus on enhancing the performance and the achievement of learning outcomes by students.
Visit IR office page- Dr. Sammy ElzarkaDirector
- Giang DoData Analyst
- Brian LeeData Analyst
- Jason LeeData Analyst
Common Data Set
Westcliff's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Source publications
Reports & documents (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- GlossaryWestcliff University GlossaryWestcliff University's glossary section is dedicated to defining crucial terms used by the university staff, faculty, and the Institutional Research Department. Covering a broad spectrum of topics from academic performance indicators to big data analytics, online education, global trends, and finance, the glossary serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding key concepts and initiatives related to higher education and institutional research.ir.westcliff.edu
- Strategic planWestcliff University 2020-2025 Strategic Plan2020Westcliff University's 2020-2025 Strategic Plan focuses on achieving academic excellence and enhancing student success through innovative programs and comprehensive support systems. The plan aims to develop a diverse team of professionals and expand the university's reach both nationally and globally. Emphasizing community engagement and visibility, Westcliff strives to foster collaborative relationships and promote a culture of service among its staff and students.westcliff.edu
Grants & funding (7)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
- opportunityDr. David McKinney Memorial ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site$10,000
- opportunityHarris-Cooper Rising Groups in STEM ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site$10,000
- opportunityFounder’s Scholarship for Business (Doctoral)Westcliff Universityinstitution_site$5,000
- opportunityCybersecurity Bootcamp Certificate Introductory ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site$1,500
- opportunityFull Stack Coding Bootcamp Certificate Introductory ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site$1,500
- opportunityCivil Servant ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site
- opportunityMilitary ScholarshipWestcliff Universityinstitution_site
Frequently asked questions about Westcliff University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Westcliff.
What is the acceptance rate at Westcliff University?
What is the graduation rate at Westcliff University?
How many students attend Westcliff University?
What is the average net price at Westcliff University?
What is the yield rate at Westcliff University?
Where is Westcliff University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Westcliff 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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