Pepperdine University

www.pepperdine.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$59,450

2.94% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$40,945

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.61%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

52.7%

11,855 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

10,446

61% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

83%

618 Graduates

About

Pepperdine University is a higher education institution located in Los Angeles County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Pepperdine University were General Business Administration & Management (424 degrees awarded), Clinical Psychology (322 degrees), and General Psychology (185 degrees).

In 2021, 3,240 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Pepperdine University. 65.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 34.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,353 degrees), 2.84 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (477 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $59,450, which is $30,458 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by John Beagle

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $59,450, which is $30,458 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $40,945.

In 2021, 92% of undergraduate students attending Pepperdine University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 35% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$59,450

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Pepperdine University was $59,450. The cost of tuition at Pepperdine University is $30,458 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Pepperdine University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$40,945

2021 Value

12%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Pepperdine University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $40,945. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Pepperdine University grew by 12%.

This chart compares the average net price of Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,160

Room and Board

$1,250

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Pepperdine University was of $16,160 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.13% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,250. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Pepperdine University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

92%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

35%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

92% of undergraduate students at Pepperdine University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 92% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.61%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Pepperdine University was 0.61%, which represents 10 out of the 1640 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Pepperdine University received 11,855 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 0.739% annual growth. Out of those 11,855 applicants, 6,249 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 52.7% acceptance rate.

There were 10,446 students enrolled at Pepperdine University in 2021. 19% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Pepperdine University has an overall enrollment yield of 16.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

52.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

6,249

Accepted Out of 11,855

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Pepperdine University was 52.7% (6,249 admissions from 11,855 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 41.9%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 0.739%, while admissions grew by 26.9%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

19%

Submission Percentage (2021)

192

Scores Submitted (2021)

19% of enrolled first-time students at Pepperdine University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Pepperdine University had a total enrollment of 10,446 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 6,377 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,069. This means that 61% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 42.6% White, 19% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 8.51% Black or African American, 4.93% Two or More Races, 0.345% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.258% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Pepperdine University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (26.8%), followed by White Male (20.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (10.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.2%), followed by White Male (14.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (11.5%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

61%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Pepperdine University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 10,446 students. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 6,377 and the part-time enrollment is 4,069. This means that 61% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Pepperdine University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

93%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Pepperdine University was 93%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Pepperdine University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Pepperdine University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
4,448 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,987 enrolled students
Asian
1,192 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University is 42.6% White, 19% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 8.51% Black or African American, 4.93% Two or More Races, 0.345% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.258% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 481 students (4.6%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 980 more women than men received degrees from Pepperdine University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Pepperdine University is white (1,353 degrees awarded). There were 2.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (477 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Pepperdine University is General Business Administration & Management (424 degrees awarded), followed by Clinical Psychology (322 degrees) and General Psychology (185 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Pepperdine University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (292 degrees awarded), Psychology (793 degrees), and Interdisciplinary Studies (192 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Other managers (253,714 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (246,518 people), Postsecondary teachers (144,684 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (123,974 people), and Social workers, all other (110,599 people).

The most specialized majors at Pepperdine University in 2021 are Legal (292 degrees awarded), Psychology (793 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (192 degrees), Communications (190 degrees), and Math & Statistics (77 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Legal (292 degrees awarded), Psychology (793 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (192 degrees), Communications (190 degrees), and Math & Statistics (77 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Elementary & secondary schools (644,414 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (372,579 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (318,012 people), Computer Systems Design (231,114 people), and Outpatient care centers (181,934 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Pepperdine University.

Most Common (2021)

General Business Administration & Management
424 degrees awarded
Clinical Psychology
322 degrees awarded
General Psychology
185 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common masters degree concentration at Pepperdine University was General Business Administration & Management with 424 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from masters degree programs at Pepperdine University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,130

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

2,110

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 1,130 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University, which is 0.536 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,110).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Pepperdine University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 325 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.19 times more than the 273 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 293 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University in Clinical Psychology, which is 4.8 times more than the 61 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

79%

100% Completion Time

86%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 79% of students graduating from Pepperdine University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 86% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 86% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Pepperdine University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.43% of graduates (15 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,353 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
477 degrees awarded
Asian
282 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Pepperdine University is white (1,353 degrees awarded). There were 2.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (477 degrees).

6.82% of degree recipients (221 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
887 degrees awarded
White Male
466 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
327 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Pepperdine University is white female (887 degrees awarded). There were 1.9 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (466 degrees).

Operations

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.15B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 304M (26.6%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Pepperdine University had a total salary expenditure of 385M. Pepperdine University employs 126 Professors, 96 Assistant professors and 83 Associate professors. Most academics at Pepperdine University are Male Professor (87), Female Assistant professor (52), and Female Associate professor (44).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University are: Management, with 257 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 250 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 148 employees.

Endowment

$1.15B

2021 Endowment

26.1%

growth from 2020

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at about $1.15B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Pepperdine University grew 26.1% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $758M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Pepperdine University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$10.4M - Federal
$133k - State
$361k - Local

As of 2021, Pepperdine University received $10.4M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $133k from state grants and contracts, and $361k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$160M

2021 Salaries

2.74%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Pepperdine University paid a median of $160M in salaries, which represents 41.6% of their overall expenditure ($385M) and a 2.74% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$48.1M

Instructional Salaries

412

Number of Employees

In 2021, Pepperdine University paid a total of $48.1M to 412 employees working as instructors, which represents 30% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

126 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

257 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Professor with 126 employees, Assistant professor with 96 employees, and Associate professor with 83 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Management with 257 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 250 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 148 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Pepperdine University was Male Professor with 87 employees, Female Assistant professor with 52 employees, and Female Associate professor with 44 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Pepperdine University.