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La Sierra University: La Sierra University Matheson Chapel 2023-2
Photo: DEGA MD, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Regional university

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year

Your real cost

Average price after aid $45,566 a year

Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)

Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator

Academic Excellence

B+Academic Excellence: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.
Very good · Top 28%
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.60%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
  • 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.$13,162

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.

Average net price by family income
Family incomePrice after aid
Up to $30,000$44,988
$30,001–$48,000$44,593
$48,001–$75,000$45,518
$75,001–$110,000$47,266
Over $110,000$45,999

Full cost of attendance before aid: $51,459 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.

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
1,244
Men and women
College Scorecard, fall 2023
Men 42% · Women 58%
First-generation students
College Scorecard
40%
Total students1,611
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$45,566
Cost of attendance (per year)$51,459
Median federal debt at graduation$27,000
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
60%
Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients
College Scorecard, within 6 years
34%
Graduation rate for first-generation students
College Scorecard, within 6 years
30%
Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years
College Scorecard, within 3 years
52%
First-year retention77%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$61,824
Admission rate92%
Application fee
IPEDS, 2023–24
No application fee
Typical rent
HUD fair market rent, FY2026
About $1,777 a month for a one-bedroom
Students receiving Pell grants47%

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).

Median earnings by major
MajorMedian earnings
Social work$69,244
Accounting$59,153
Business administration$56,939
Kinesiology and exercise science$55,711
Criminal justice$53,902
Liberal arts$51,085
Psychology$49,265
Marketing$48,040

Also offered (no earnings published yet): Archeology, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Broadcasting, Business (general), Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Computer science, Computing and information science, Design, Economics, English, Experimental psychology, Film and video, Finance, Fine arts, Global studies, Health administration, Health sciences, History, Human resources, International business, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Other english language and literature/letters, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Pre-health, Public health, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Teacher education, Theatre, Theology, Writing and rhetoric.

What students study most

Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).

Most common bachelor’s fields
FieldShare of degrees
Criminal justice and security24%
Business19%
Biology13%
Health professions10%
Visual and performing arts6%

Campus life

School colors
SettingCity
Part-time undergraduates5%
Undergraduates aged 25 and older7%
On-campus room and board (per year)$13,431
SportsNAIA · California Pacific Conference
Study abroadOffered
Students per faculty member12 to 1
Undergraduates registered with the disability officeAbout 4%IPEDS, 2023–24
Disability servicesVisit the office’s pageThe college’s own page
Faculty who are full-time64%College Scorecard, fall 2023
Endowment per student$80,715IPEDS, 2023, per student
Dorm spaceFor about 68% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus
Nearest airport with airline serviceOntario International Airport (ONT)About 12 miles away · about 30 minutes by car
Town population319,069Census, 2020–2024
Nearest city of 250,000 people or moreRiversideAbout 6 miles away · about 15 minutes by car
Typical weather56°F in January · 79°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Riverside Municipal Airport, CA, about 5 miles away

Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.

Campus safety reports

On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.

On-campus crimes per 1,000 students
CategoryThis campusU.S. rate
Rape0.000.07
Robbery0.000.01
Aggravated assault0.320.04
Burglary2.220.08
Motor vehicle theft0.640.15

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.

Source: Official data: U.S. Department of Education

Questions families ask

What is La Sierra University’s Compass Score?
Good (grade B-). 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 La Sierra University cost after financial aid?
The average net price is $45,566 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 La Sierra University?
La Sierra University admitted 92% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
How do La Sierra University’s graduates do?
60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $61,824; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.

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About this school’s data
  • IPEDS unit ID 117627
  • Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
  • Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
  • Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Seventh Day Adventist
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  • Respond as this school

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