Pepperdine University

www.pepperdine.edu/

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$55,640

3.65% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$42,135

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

1.13%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

31.7%

12,764 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

8,824

66.3% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

83.2%

655 Graduates

About

Pepperdine University is a higher education institution located in Los Angeles County, CA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Pepperdine University were General Business Administration & Management (255 degrees awarded), General Psychology (65 degrees), and Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication (57 degrees).

In 2019, 2,644 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Pepperdine University. 60.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,052 degrees), 3.52 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (299 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $55,640, which is $27,140 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by John Beagle

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $55,640, which is $27,140 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $42,135.

In 2019, 88% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 40% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$55,640

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Pepperdine University was $55,640. The cost of tuition at Pepperdine University is $27,140 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Pepperdine University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$42,135

2019 Value

2.92%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Pepperdine University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $42,135. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Pepperdine University grew by 2.92%.

This chart compares the average net price of Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,320

Room and Board

$1,250

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Pepperdine University was of $15,320 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,250. The cost of room and board increased by 3.03% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 16.7% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Pepperdine University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

88%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

40%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

88% of undergraduate students at Pepperdine University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 11.4% with respect to 2018, when 79% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.13%

2017 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Pepperdine University was 1.13%, which represents 19 out of the 1686 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Pepperdine University received 12,764 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 13.3% annual growth. Out of those 12,764 applicants, 4,049 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 31.7% acceptance rate.

There were 8,824 students enrolled at Pepperdine University in 2019, and 69% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Pepperdine University has an overall enrollment yield of 17.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

31.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

4,049

Accepted Out of 12,764

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Pepperdine University was 31.7% (4,049 admissions from 12,764 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 35.7%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants grew by 13.3%, while admissions grew by 0.822%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Pepperdine University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

69%

Submission Percentage

502

Scores Submitted

69% of enrolled first-time students at Pepperdine University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Pepperdine University has a total enrollment of 8,824 students. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 5,852 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,972. This means that 66.3% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 42.5% White, 14.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.61% Asian, 8.22% Black or African American, 4.86% Two or More Races, 0.442% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.34% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Pepperdine University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (29.1%), followed by White Male (20.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.74%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (21.4%), followed by White Male (15.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.69%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

66.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Pepperdine University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 8,824 students. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 5,852 and the part-time enrollment is 2,972. This means that 66.3% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Pepperdine University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2019 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Pepperdine University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), Pepperdine University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Pepperdine University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
3,750
Hispanic or Latino
1,284
Asian
848

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University is 42.5% White, 14.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.61% Asian, 8.22% Black or African American, 4.86% Two or More Races, 0.442% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.34% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 592 students (6.71%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 550 more women than men received degrees from Pepperdine University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Pepperdine University is white (1,052 degrees awarded). There were 3.52 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (299 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Pepperdine University is General Business Administration & Management (255 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (65 degrees) and Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication (57 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Pepperdine University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (232 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (168 degrees), and Psychology (347 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Accountants & auditors

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Accountants & auditors (1,023,906 people), Other managers (867,040 people), Financial managers (528,316 people), Chief executives & legislators (436,513 people), and Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (310,258 people).

The most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Legal (232 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (168 degrees), Psychology (347 degrees), Communications (197 degrees), and Business (1,075 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Surgeons, Other financial specialists, Computer hardware engineers, Physicians, and Architectural & engineering managers

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Elementary & secondary schools (963,335 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (641,580 people), Computer Systems Design (640,496 people), Banking & related activities (543,703 people), and Insurance carriers (512,101 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Pepperdine University.

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
255 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
65 degree-majorss awarded
Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication
57 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Pepperdine University was General Business Administration & Management with 255 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Pepperdine University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

1,047

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

1,597

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 1,047 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University, which is 0.656 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,597).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at Pepperdine University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 417 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.17 times more than the 355 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 355 degrees were awarded to women at Pepperdine University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.851 times less than the 417 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

77%

100% Completion Time

85%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 77% of students graduating from Pepperdine University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 85% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 85% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Pepperdine University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.51% of graduates (23 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,052 degrees awarded
Unknown
299 degrees awarded
Asian
263 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Pepperdine University is white (1,052 degrees awarded). There were 3.52 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (299 degrees).

11.3% of degree recipients (299 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
620 degrees awarded
White Male
432 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
171 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Pepperdine University is white female (620 degrees awarded). There were 1.44 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (432 degrees).

Operations

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at nearly $918M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $18.1M (1.98%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, Pepperdine University had a total salary expenditure of $391M. Pepperdine University employs 138 Professors, 104 Assistant professors, and 79 Associate professors. Most academics at Pepperdine University are Male Professors (93), Female Assistant professors(55), and Male Assistant professors (49).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University are: Management, with 265 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 257 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 135 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$918M

2019 Endowment

1.48%

growth from 2018

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at about $918M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Pepperdine University grew 1.48% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $607M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Pepperdine University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$3.16M - Federal
$60k - State
$361k - Local

As of 2019, Pepperdine University received $3.16M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $60k from state grants and contracts, and $361k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$159M

2019 Salaries

5.26%

growth from 2018

In 2019, Pepperdine University paid a median of $159M in salaries, which represents 40.6% of their overall expenditure ($391M) and a 5.26% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.35% growth from 2017 and a 3.57% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$45.4M

Instructional Salaries

400

Number of Employees

In 2019, Pepperdine University paid a total of $45.4M to 400 employees working as instructors, which represents 28.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

138 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

265 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Professor with 138 employees; Assistant professor with 104 employees; and Assistant professor with 79 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Management with 265 employees; Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 257 employees; and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 135 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Pepperdine University was Male Professor with 93 employees, Female Assistant professor with 55 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 49 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at Pepperdine University.

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