National university
#5 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in CaliforniaBiola University
La Mirada, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $31,495 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,875 (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#26 of 292
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#175 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#228 of 1,132
- Best colleges for nursing in America#216 of 1,068
- Best colleges for business in America#341 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#293 of 1,318
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.68%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,261 · ACT 26.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,866
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: $62,757 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) | 3,395 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 42% · Women 58% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 24% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 31% |
| Total students | 5,296 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $31,495 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $62,757 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,875 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 68% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 69% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 68% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 74% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $56,778 |
| Admission rate | 74% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $45 |
| Early action deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 30 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 26% |
| Average SAT | 1261 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 600–700 |
| SAT math | 560–670 |
| ACT composite | 24–29 |
| 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 | |
| Accounting | |
| Computer science | |
| Business (general) | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Political science | |
| Public relations | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Biology | |
| Journalism | |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | |
| Communication studies | |
| Teacher education | |
| Music | |
| Psychology | |
| Fine arts | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | |
| Religious Education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Biochemistry, Business administration, Chemistry, Clinical and counseling psychology, Design, Education (general), Engineering Physics, Film and video, General studies, Health sciences, History, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Natural resources and conservation, Philosophy, Physical Sciences, Physics, Public health, Religious Music and Worship, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social sciences, Special education, Theatre, Theology, Urban Studies/Affairs.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Psychology | |
| Theology and religious studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 9% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 8% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,130 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Pacific West Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 15 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 11%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 | $32,935IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 82% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Long Beach International Airport (LGB)About 10 miles away · about 25 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)About 18 miles away |
| Town population | 47,180Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Long BeachAbout 12 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 58°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Fullerton Municipal Airport, 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 | 0.18 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.09 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.18 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.09 | 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 Biola University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 26% 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 Biola University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $31,495 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 Biola University?
- Biola University admitted 74% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Biola University’s graduates do?
- 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $56,778; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,875.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110097
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Undenominational
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