Liberal arts college
#21 Best small colleges in AmericaSoka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $18,260 a year
Median debt at graduation: $15,650 (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 NAIA athletes in America#1 of 221
- Best small colleges in America#21 of 906
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#60 of 1,829
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#24 of 704
- Best colleges in America#86 of 1,829
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#37 of 704
Show 10 more
- Best test-optional colleges in America#78 of 1,481
- Best colleges in the Los Angeles area#7 of 69
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#72 of 684
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#26 of 197
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#114 of 682
- Best value colleges in America#123 of 674
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#138 of 690
- Most selective colleges in America#143 of 683
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#154 of 681
- Best value colleges in the West in America#25 of 103
In California
- Best colleges in California#10 of 128
- Best small colleges in California#5 of 63
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#12 of 128
- Best colleges for NAIA athletes in California#1 of 10
- Best test-optional colleges in California#10 of 100
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California#7 of 64
Show 6 more
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in California#7 of 64
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in California#14 of 61
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in California#14 of 61
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in California#16 of 63
- Best value colleges in California#15 of 59
- Best value colleges in the West in California#15 of 59
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.92%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.90%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,440
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.7 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$45,356
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: $55,064 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) | 464 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 38% · Women 62% |
| Total students | 476 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $18,260 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $55,064 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $15,650 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 92% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 79% |
| First-year retention | 90% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $55,017 |
| Admission rate | 43% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $45 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1440 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 620–720 |
| SAT math | 713–790 |
| ACT composite | — |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 22% (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 |
|---|---|
| Liberal arts |
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Liberal arts and general studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,378 |
| Sports | NAIA · California Pacific Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 7 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 77%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $3,033,750IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest major airport | John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)About 11 miles away |
| Town population | 51,113Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | IrvineAbout 9 miles away |
| Typical weather | 56°F in January · 70°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Laguna Beach, 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 | 2.02 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 4.04 | 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 Soka University of America’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 5% 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 Soka University of America cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $18,260 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 Soka University of America?
- Soka University of America admitted 43% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Soka University of America’s graduates do?
- 92% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $55,017; the median federal debt at graduation is $15,650.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 399911
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Soka University of America vs Pitzer · Soka University of America vs Scripps · Soka University of America vs Whitman · Soka University of America vs Occidental
More in California · California rankings