National university
#3 Best colleges for social work in CaliforniaChapman University
Orange, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $46,555 a year
Median debt at graduation: $20,500 (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 social work in America#32 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#52 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#69 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#121 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#109 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#103 of 1,238
Show 18 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#175 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#193 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#153 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#165 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#155 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#151 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#154 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#150 of 1,187
- Best mid-size colleges in America#85 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#158 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#156 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#153 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#149 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#107 of 750
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#67 of 430
- Best colleges for engineering in America#119 of 749
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#149 of 704
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#157 of 693
In California
- Best colleges for social work in California#3 of 26
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in California#6 of 49
- Best mid-size colleges in California#7 of 36
- Best colleges for education in California#11 of 56
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#26 of 128
- Best colleges for business in California#20 of 88
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.92%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,357 · ACT 29.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$21,557
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: $83,146 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) | 7,874 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 18% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 36% |
| Total students | 9,961 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $46,555 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $83,146 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 82% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 74% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 68% |
| First-year retention | 92% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $70,070 |
| Admission rate | 65% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $70 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 19% |
| Average SAT | 1357 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 630–720 |
| SAT math | 630–720 |
| ACT composite | 28–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (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 |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Accounting | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Business administration | |
| Public relations | |
| Journalism | |
| Design | |
| Business/Corporate Communications | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Public health | |
| Political science | |
| Film and video | |
| Education (general) | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Theatre | |
| Dance | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Area studies, Biochemistry, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Computational Science, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Counseling and mental health, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Electrical engineering technology, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Ethnic and gender studies, Fine arts, German, Graphic communications, History, Holocaust and Related Studies, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Natural resources and conservation, Nutrition Sciences, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Physiology and pathology, Pre-law and legal studies, Public administration, Publishing, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social work.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication | |
| Computer and information sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,814 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 15%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $71,208IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 47% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)About 8 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Town population | 138,266Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Santa AnaAbout 4 miles away · about 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 59°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Santa Ana Fire Stn, CA, about 3 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 | 0.36 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.26 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.36 | 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 Chapman University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 11% 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 Chapman University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $46,555 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 Chapman University?
- Chapman University admitted 65% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Chapman University’s graduates do?
- 82% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $70,070; the median federal debt at graduation is $20,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 111948
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
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Colleges like this one
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