Pepperdine University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Pepperdine University is a private college in California that admits most qualified applicants (around 63%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Pepperdine University weighs, where it ranks among California schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1400, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
Pepperdine University application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at Pepperdine University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Pepperdine University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Pepperdine University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Pepperdine University?
At Pepperdine University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 63% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Pepperdine University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Pepperdine University hard to get into?
Pepperdine University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 63% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Pepperdine University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Pepperdine University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Pepperdine University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Pepperdine University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Pepperdine University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Pepperdine University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1370 SAT?
About 80% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1370 SAT, the middle of Pepperdine University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1450 SAT comes out near 94%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/pepperdine-university.
How to get into Pepperdine University
Built from Pepperdine University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Pepperdine University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Pepperdine University carries about a 3.31 core GPA and a 1400 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1290 to 1450 SAT (29 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1370 or higher; below 1290, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Pepperdine University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: essays that sound like you and answer the actual prompt, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Pepperdine University's exact dates at www.pepperdine.edu.
How many students apply to Pepperdine University, and how many get in?
12,457 students applied to Pepperdine University for fall 2023; 6,210 were admitted (49.9%). 732 enrolled. Only about 12% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Pepperdine University enrolls about 3,553 undergraduates in total, 60% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Pepperdine University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Pepperdine University scored between 1290 and 1450 on the SAT (average 1384). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 29 to 32. A score above 1450 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1290 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Pepperdine University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Pepperdine University looks for
What Pepperdine University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Pepperdine University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Pepperdine University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Pepperdine University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Pepperdine University cost after financial aid?
Pepperdine University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $93,512 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $69,918. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $58,098 a year, and it ranges from $50,560 for families earning under $30,000 to $65,081 for families earning over $110,000. 20% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Pepperdine University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Pepperdine University student who received federal aid earns $82,939 a year, up from $64,934 at six years. 83% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 88% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,510; 37% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Pepperdine University compares in California
Pepperdine University ranks #23 most selective of 61 schools in California in our database.
Among the 61 California schools we track, Pepperdine University ranks #23 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like California Institute of Technology (3%) and Stanford University (4%) sit nearby, which makes California a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Pepperdine University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Pepperdine University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Southern Methodist University, Augustana College, and Beloit College. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pepperdine University's acceptance rate?
Pepperdine University admitted 6,210 of 12,457 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 49.9% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 12% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Pepperdine University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1290 to 1450 on the SAT and 29 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1450 is in the top quarter of admits. Pepperdine University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Pepperdine University test-optional?
Yes. Pepperdine University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Pepperdine University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Pepperdine University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $58,098 a year against a sticker price of about $93,512. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $50,560 on average.
What do Pepperdine University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Pepperdine University are $82,939 a year among students who received federal aid, and 83% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Pepperdine University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Pepperdine University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Pepperdine University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Pepperdine University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Pepperdine University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Pepperdine University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.