Far WestSuburbanPrivate4-yearBusiness & MarketingTarget

Pepperdine University

Selective — strong academics get you in the conversation.

Malibu, CA3,629 students
Acceptance Rate
63%
selective
Median SAT
1,370
Middle 50%: 1250–1450
Net Price After Aid
$45.4k
Sticker $66.7k
Graduation Rate
85%
6-year, full-time

Pepperdine University is a private institution in Malibu, CA with an acceptance rate of 63% and 3,629 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1250–1450 on the SAT and present an average GPA near 2.89. The average net price after financial aid is $45,409 per year.

About Pepperdine University

A private 4-year suburban university in Malibu, CA.

Pepperdine University is a college in Malibu, CA. It enrolls roughly 3,629 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 63%. Admitted students typically score between 1250 and 1450 on the SAT.

Far WestSuburbanPrivate4-yearBusiness & Marketing
Acceptance Rate
63%
Selective
Total Enrollment
3,629
Medium
Retention
86%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
85%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
63%
63 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA
2.89
Average across admitted students

Selective — strong academics get you in the conversation. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Aim for an SAT of 1250+
    Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
  2. Maintain a GPA of 2.89 or higher
    Admitted students typically present grades at or above this level.
  3. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  4. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into Pepperdine University. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Admitted student profile

Range shown is the middle 50%.

SAT
composite, 1600 scale
1,2501,450
1,370
average
ACT
composite, 36 scale
2932
31
average
GPA
weighted, 4.5 max
2.89
average

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Pepperdine University after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $66,742
Average net price after aid
$45,409
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$36,463
$30,001 – $48,000
$38,065
$48,001 – $75,000
$40,201
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$52,946

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
20%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
38%
Avg loan $19,500 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at Pepperdine University concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Business & Marketing
27% of degrees awarded
Retention
86%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends Pepperdine University. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White49%
  • Asian16%
  • Hispanic21%
  • Black4%
  • International9%

Gender

  • Female59%
  • Male41%
International
8%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
3,629

Outcomes after graduation

What Pepperdine University graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$82.9k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
85%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$83k is well above the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 85% graduation rate puts Pepperdine University in the top tier nationally.

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