Regional university
#6 Best colleges for criminal justice in CaliforniaCalifornia Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $30,109 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,669 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#112 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#148 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#197 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#303 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#255 of 1,238
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#410 of 1,829
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In California
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.70%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,266 · ACT 27.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,168
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $68,426 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,380 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 45% · Women 55% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 35% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 17% |
| Total students | 3,413 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $30,109 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $68,426 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,669 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 70% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 62% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 65% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 71% |
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $68,712 |
| Admission rate | 76% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $25 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $2,250 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 31% |
| Average SAT | 1266 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 590–670 |
| SAT math | 560–660 |
| ACT composite | 24–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Management science | |
| Computer science | |
| Business administration | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Other communication, journalism, and related programs | |
| Sociology | |
| Biology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Communication studies | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Political science | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural Engineering, Biochemistry, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Chemistry, Clinical and counseling psychology, Criminology, Economics, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Fine arts, General studies, Geology and earth science, German, History, Hospitality management, Information science, International relations, Mathematics, Natural resources and conservation, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Philosophy, Physics, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 7% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,810 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 12%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $40,826IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 64% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)About 30 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Town population | 125,205Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Los AngelesAbout 30 miles away · about 55 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 57°F in January · 69°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Camarillo Airport, CA, about 12 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.15 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is California Lutheran University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 23% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does California Lutheran University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $30,109 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into California Lutheran University?
- California Lutheran University admitted 76% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do California Lutheran University’s graduates do?
- 70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $68,712; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,669.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110413
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Evangelical Lutheran Church
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