Regional university
#10 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in AmericaPoint Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $38,729 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,990 (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 NCAA Division II athletes in America#10 of 292
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#71 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#64 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#105 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#119 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#133 of 1,132
Show 20 more
- Best colleges for marketing in America#104 of 834
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#235 of 1,829
- Best colleges for business in America#215 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#187 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#182 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#111 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#243 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#315 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#244 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#231 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#274 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#230 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#242 of 1,247
- Best mid-size colleges in America#130 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#242 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#244 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#226 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#241 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#171 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#180 of 749
In California
- Best colleges for criminal justice in California#5 of 40
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in California#3 of 23
- Best colleges for social work in California#5 of 26
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in California#11 of 49
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#32 of 128
- Best colleges for nursing in California#14 of 53
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,287 · ACT 28.5
- 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.$11,365
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: $60,488 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) | 3,158 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 35% · Women 65% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 29% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 29% |
| Total students | 4,494 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $38,729 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $60,488 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,990 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 77% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 69% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 69% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 79% |
| First-year retention | 86% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,998 |
| Admission rate | 84% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $55 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 21% |
| Average SAT | 1287 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 610–695 |
| SAT math | 565–670 |
| ACT composite | 25–32 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Business/Corporate Communications | |
| Allied health | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Design | |
| Teacher education | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Family and human development |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Bible/Biblical Studies, Biochemistry, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Computer engineering, Computer science, Computing and information science, Data Science, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, Economics, Engineering (general), Engineering Physics, English, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Foods, Nutrition,, Global studies, Health sciences, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Management information systems, Management science, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Other philosophy and religious studies, Pastoral counseling, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Public administration, Public relations, Religious Music and Worship, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social work, Sociology, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Theology, Visual and performing arts, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Family and consumer sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Education |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 13% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 14% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,650 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Pacific West Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $18,017Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 59% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | San Diego International Airport (SAN)About 4 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 1,389,5262020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | San DiegoAbout 9 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 58°F1991–2020 normal, from NORTH ISLAND NAS, CA US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 70°F1991–2020 normal, from NORTH ISLAND NAS, CA US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
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 | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.14 | 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 Point Loma Nazarene University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 17% 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 Point Loma Nazarene University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $38,729 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 Point Loma Nazarene University?
- Point Loma Nazarene University admitted 84% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Point Loma Nazarene University’s graduates do?
- 77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $63,998; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,990.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 121309
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Church of the Nazarene
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