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Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene University says yes to 83.7% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $63,998 median earnings.
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Point Loma Nazarene University sits in San Diego proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. The school maintains its Church of the Nazarene affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, where graduates median $114,919 four years out. 21.4% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 3,188 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 85.5% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1140 and 1410 — below the CA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Point Loma Nazarene University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Point Loma Nazarene University received 3,065 applications and admitted 2,506 (81.8%), with 657 enrolling.
You can apply to Point Loma Nazarene University without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1140 and 1410; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 590 | 640 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 550 | 630 | 700 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 27 | 30 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Point Loma Nazarene University compares
| Point Loma Nazarene University | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 83.7% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $46,250 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $63,998 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
At $63,998, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($64,778). Look at Point Loma Nazarene University's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $46,250 regardless of where you're from. At Point Loma Nazarene University, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 3,188 undergrads, Point Loma Nazarene University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
77.2% of Point Loma Nazarene University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 22.3 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $46,250 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Point Loma Nazarene University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $114,919 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $74,495 |
| Biology, General | $65,365 |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $60,187 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $59,654 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $59,183 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $57,740 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $56,198 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $47,092 |
| Psychology, General | $46,437 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $46,119 |
Median earnings for these 11 Point Loma Nazarene University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $63,998 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 48 additional Point Loma Nazarene University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Point Loma Nazarene University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1140–1410 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 83.7% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Point Loma Nazarene University's acceptance rate?
81.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,506 admitted from 3,065 applicants.
How much does Point Loma Nazarene University cost?
At Point Loma Nazarene University, published tuition is $46,250 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Point Loma Nazarene University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Point Loma Nazarene University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $63,998 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- Pepperdine University — 62.9% admitted
- University of Redlands — 82.7% admitted
- University of the Pacific — 71.3% admitted
- Otis College of Art and Design — 81.8% 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.