Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
63%Acceptance rate
$58,098Average net price / year
83%Graduation rate
$82,939Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$23,510Median debt at graduation
3,553Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $69,918
- Total cost of attendance
- $93,512
- Room & board
- $21,750
- Books & supplies
- $1,000
- Average net price
- $58,098
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $50,560
- $30–48k
- $42,674
- $48–75k
- $51,063
- $75–110k
- $61,851
- $110k+
- $65,081
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 62.9%
- Average SAT
- 1384
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 650–710
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 640–740
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 29–32
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 83%
- First-year retention
- 88%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $64,934
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $82,939
- Median debt (graduates)
- $23,510
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 20%
- Students with federal loans
- 37%
Programs: what graduates earn
30 of 78 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 186 | $69,751 | $27,000 |
| Economics | 31 | $54,267 | $24,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 17 | $48,398 | $19,500 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 85 | $45,988 | $24,112 |
| Journalism | 13 | $42,536 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 38 | $42,306 | $23,625 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 18 | $36,920 | $25,722 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 51 | $34,388 | $23,336 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 13 | $33,228 | $23,013 |
| Psychology, General | 89 | $23,438 | $22,580 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 3 | $23,182 | $21,125 |
| Biology, General | 49 | $20,031 | $25,379 |
| International Business | 14 | $65,821 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 16 | $75,589 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 23 | $50,594 | $19,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 10 | $59,815 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Management and Services | 71 | $113,702 | $69,120 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 655 | $112,068 | $97,638 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 54 | $64,280 | $41,000 |
| Dispute Resolution | 148 | $64,096 | $98,500 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 34 | $63,804 | $60,660 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 92 | $62,726 | $61,036 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 118 | $58,929 | $107,520 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 674 | $49,456 | $82,000 |
| Psychology, General | 269 | $47,132 | $62,720 |
| Education, General | 0 | $53,087 | — |
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 54 | $107,137 | $107,675 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | — | $84,954 | $193,904 |
| Law | — | $79,243 | $154,886 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 7 | $133,031 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 3,553
- Graduate students
- 7,203
- Part-time
- 5%
- Women / men
- 60% / 40%
- White
- 44%
- Hispanic
- 19%
- Black
- 4%
- Asian
- 15%
- International
- 8%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 12:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $128,826 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 47%
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
- Website
- www.pepperdine.edu
- Also known as
- Pepperdine University
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 15% of degrees
- English – 2% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 1% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 6% of degrees
- Interdisciplinary Studies – 11% of degrees
- Parks, Recreation & Fitness – 7% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Pepperdine University?
62.9% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1384 on the SAT.
How much does Pepperdine University cost?
The average net price after grants is $58,098 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $69,918 and the full cost of attendance is $93,512.
How much do Pepperdine University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $82,939 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
83% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.