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California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University says yes to 75.7% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $68,712 median earnings.
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California Lutheran University sits in Thousand Oaks proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. The school maintains its Evangelical Lutheran Church affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Accounting and Related Services, where graduates median $89,573 four years out. 31.1% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 2,296 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 78.8% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1134 and 1320 — below the CA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on California Lutheran University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California Lutheran University received 5,290 applications and admitted 4,702 (88.9%), with 575 enrolling.
You can apply to California Lutheran University without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1134 and 1320; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 577 | 620 | 660 |
| SAT Math | 557 | 600 | 660 |
| ACT Composite | 23 | 26 | 29 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How California Lutheran University compares
| California Lutheran University | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 75.7% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $52,560 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $68,712 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors California Lutheran University: $68,712 median at year ten, versus $64,778 across California institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $52,560 regardless of where you're from. At California Lutheran University, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 2,296 undergrads, California Lutheran University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
69.6% graduate within six years. Roughly 30% don't — ask a California Lutheran University tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at California Lutheran University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | $89,573 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $83,310 |
| Computer Science | $77,030 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $76,916 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $70,409 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $68,806 |
| Sociology | $67,998 |
| Biology, General | $64,939 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $63,433 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $61,653 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $60,806 |
| Political Science and Government | $60,243 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $59,820 |
| Psychology, General | $59,153 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $52,428 |
| Music | $32,316 |
Median earnings for these 16 California Lutheran University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $68,712 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 26 additional California Lutheran University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California Lutheran University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1134–1320 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 75.7% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is California Lutheran University's acceptance rate?
88.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 4,702 admitted from 5,290 applicants.
How much does California Lutheran University cost?
At California Lutheran University, published tuition is $52,560 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is California Lutheran University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do California Lutheran University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $68,712 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- California Baptist University — 84.9% admitted
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona — 75.2% admitted
- University of California-Riverside — 76.4% admitted
- University of California-Santa Cruz — 65.8% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.