Pepperdine University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$51,740

3.96% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$36,372

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

1.49%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

39.8%

11,704 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

7,710

74.3% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

84.9%

584 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 (200 degrees awarded), General Psychology (104 degrees), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (57 degrees).

In 2017, 2,737 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Pepperdine University. 59.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 40.6% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (1,144 degrees), 3.28 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (349 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $51,740, which is $25,240 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Photo by John Beagle

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Pepperdine University is $51,740, which is $25,240 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $36,372.

In 2017, 76% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 39% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$51,740

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Pepperdine University was $51,740. The cost of tuition at Pepperdine University is $25,240 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

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

Average Net Price

$36,372

2017 Value

8.24%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Pepperdine University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $36,372. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Pepperdine University grew by 8.24%.

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

$14,330

Room and Board

$1,500

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Pepperdine University was of $14,330 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,500. The cost of room and board increased by 3.77% between 2016 and 2017. The cost of books and supplies did not change 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

76%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

39%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

76% of undergraduate students at Pepperdine University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 5.56% with respect to 2016, when 72% 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.

1.49%

2016 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Pepperdine University was 1.49%, which represents 23 out of the 1542 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 11,704 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 5.34% annual growth. Out of those 11,704 applicants, 4,664 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 39.8% acceptance rate.

There were 7,710 students enrolled at Pepperdine University in 2017, and 60% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Pepperdine University has an overall enrollment yield of 18.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

39.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

4,664

Accepted Out of 11,704

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Pepperdine University was 39.8% (4,664 admissions from 11,704 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 36.9%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants grew by 5.34%, while admissions grew by 13.8%.

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

SAT Scores

60%

Submission Percentage

518

Scores Submitted

60% of enrolled first-time students at Pepperdine University in 2017 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 7,710 students. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 5,728 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,982. This means that 74.3% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 43.3% White, 11.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 6.82% Black or African American, 3.87% Two or More Races, 0.428% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.298% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Pepperdine University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (31.5%), followed by White Male (20%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.45%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (20.7%), followed by White Male (15.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.55%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

74.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Pepperdine University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,710 students. The full-time enrollment at Pepperdine University is 5,728 and the part-time enrollment is 1,982. This means that 74.3% of students enrolled at Pepperdine University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% 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

90%

2017 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 90%. 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
3,339
Hispanic or Latino
897
Asian
792

The enrolled student population at Pepperdine University is 43.3% White, 11.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 6.82% Black or African American, 3.87% Two or More Races, 0.428% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.298% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% 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, 719 students (9.33%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 515 more women than men received degrees from Pepperdine University. The majority of degree recipients at Pepperdine University are white (1,144 degrees awarded). There were 3.28 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (349 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Pepperdine University is General Business Administration & Management (200 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (104 degrees) and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (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 (225 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (137 degrees), and Psychology (392 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

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 Elementary & middle school teachers (248,534 people), Other managers (212,975 people), Postsecondary teachers (135,104 people), Social workers, all other (108,310 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (107,317 people).

The most specialized majors at Pepperdine University are Legal (225 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (137 degrees), Psychology (392 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (28 degrees), and Communications (197 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, Chemists & materials scientists, Dentists, Sales managers, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

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 (553,189 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (335,030 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (239,206 people), Computer Systems Design (180,398 people), and Outpatient care centers (146,277 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
200 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
104 degree-majorss awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
57 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Pepperdine University was General Business Administration & Management with 200 degree-majorss 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

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,111
1,626

In 2017, 1,111 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University, which is 0.683 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,626).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 441 degrees were awarded to men at Pepperdine University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.41 times more than the 312 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 312 degrees were awarded to women at Pepperdine University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.707 times less than the 441 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

76%

100% Completion Time

84%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 76% of students graduating from Pepperdine University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 84% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 84% 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 (68.1%).

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, 4.79% of graduates (28 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,144 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
349 degrees awarded
Asian
269 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Pepperdine University is white (1,144 degrees awarded). There were 3.28 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (349 degrees).

9.61% of degree recipients (263 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
654 degrees awarded
White Male
490 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
227 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Pepperdine University is white female (654 degrees awarded). There were 1.33 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (490 degrees).

Operations

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at nearly $860M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $79.5M (9.25%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, Pepperdine University had a total salary expenditure of $322M. Pepperdine University employs 128 Professors, 91 Associate professors, and 87 Assistant professors. Most academics at Pepperdine University are Male Professors (96), Female Associate professors(48), and Male Assistant professors (48).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University are: Management, with 276 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 178 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 174 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$860M

2017 Endowment

10.1%

growth from 2016

Pepperdine University has an endowment valued at about $860M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Pepperdine University grew 10.1% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $574M 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

$3.2M - Federal
$70k - State
$469k - Local

As of 2017, Pepperdine University received $3.2M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $70k from state grants and contracts, and $469k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$144M

2017 Salaries

3.57%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Pepperdine University paid a median of $144M in salaries, which represents 44.8% of their overall expenditure ($322M) and a 3.57% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.23% growth from 2015 and a 2.64% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$43M

Instructional Salaries

394

Number of Employees

In 2017, Pepperdine University paid a total of $43M to 394 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $64.9M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

128 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

276 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Professor with 128 employees; Associate professor with 91 employees; and Associate professor with 87 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pepperdine University were Management with 276 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 178 employees; and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 174 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Pepperdine University was Male Professor with 96 employees, Female Associate professor with 48 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 48 employees.

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

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