Private Nonprofit · San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University

Point Loma Nazarene University is a private nonprofit institution in San Diego, California. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$63,998
10-yr median earnings
83.7%
Acceptance rate
$38,729
Avg net price / yr
75.5%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Point Loma Nazarene University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 11%
former-student earnings, US
83.7%
acceptance rate
75.5%
150%-time completion
+17%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large Carnegie: Master's (L)
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Point Loma Nazarene University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C
College Value Score
58/100
Point Loma Nazarene University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings A
$63,998
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$38,729
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B+
75.5%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,990
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A+
84.7%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention B+
85.5%
First-year students returning for year two
Point Loma Nazarene University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$63,998

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$38,729

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

75.5%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 75.5%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Point Loma Nazarene University vs peers

Point Loma Nazarene University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Point Loma Nazarene University positioned by… Carnegie Classification: Master's (L) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $23K $87K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $17K $61K Avg Net Price ($) Point Loma Nazarene University (you are here): $64K earn · $39K net · 76% grad You are here - Point Loma Nazaren… University of the Pacific: $78K earn · $25K net · 68% grad University of the … University of La Verne: $65K earn · $20K net · 64% grad University of La V… Biola University: $57K earn · $31K net · 68% grad Biola University Pepperdine University: $83K earn · $58K net · 84% grad Pepperdine Univers… Azusa Pacific University: $67K earn · $22K net · 63% grad Azusa Pacific Univ… California Lutheran University: $69K earn · $30K net · 72% grad Paul Mitchell the School-San Diego: $27K earn · $36K net · 80% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Point Loma Nazarene University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Point Loma Nazarene University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$63,998 Top 11% higher than 89% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Point Loma Nazarene University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $63,998 #565 of 5103 89th
Average net price $38,729 #4856 of 5020 3rd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 75.5% #988 of 4858 80th
Undergraduate enrollment 3,188 #1041 of 5462 81st

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

3,188
Undergraduate enrollment
83.7%
Acceptance rate
1,287
SAT average
75.5%
150%-time completion
$63,998
10-yr median earnings
85.5%
First-year retention

How Point Loma Nazarene University ranks in California

State rank among 493 reporting California colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Point Loma Nazarene University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $63,998 #93 of 493 81st
Average net price $38,729 #456 of 495 8th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 75.5% #128 of 483 73rd
Undergraduate enrollment 3,188 #154 of 553 72nd

Highest former-student earnings in California

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Samuel Merritt University$143,238-
2Harvey Mudd College$138,687$35,924
3California Institute of Technology$128,566$16,075
4Stanford University$124,080$13,807
5Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health$115,318-
6Gnomon$114,785$51,949
7Santa Clara University$109,183$50,062
8Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University$109,183-
9Touro University California$104,805-
10Claremont McKenna College$104,736$28,849
11West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County$102,672$32,879
12West Coast University-Ontario$102,672$49,590
93Point Loma Nazarene UniversityThis school$63,998$38,729

Admissions

Admission Rate 83.7%
SAT Average 1,287
SAT Math (25th-75th) 565 – 670
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 610 – 695
ACT Average 26
ACT (25th-75th) 25 – 32
0%100%83.7%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Point Loma Nazarene University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Point Loma Nazarene University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $46,250
Out-of-State Tuition $46,250
Average Net Price $38,729
21.4%
Pell Grant Rate
49.9%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,990
Median Debt
$244/mo
Monthly Payment

2013–2023: what Point Loma Nazarene University costs has stayed close to flat

Average net price moved +21.0% over 10 years, from $29,865 to $36,127 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $29,8652014: $30,9132015: $31,4732016: $30,7182017: $31,4522018: $32,3192019: $33,0442020: $34,5752021: $33,5372022: $47,1072023: $36,127
2013 · $29,8652023 · $36,127

Over the same years, enrollment went +23.2% (2,543 → 3,132 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

68.6%
Female
29.3%
First Generation

Outcomes

85.5%
Retention Rate
$54,811
Median Earnings (6yr)
73.8%
Earning Over $25K
84.7%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 75.5%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 85.5%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $54,811
Median earnings 10 years after entry $63,998
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 73.8%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 84.7%
Median federal student debt At completion $22,990
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $244/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 19 768 $62,490 $114,919 $22,285
Master's 6 363 $91,891 $130,691 $42,777

Top programs at Point Loma Nazarene University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 17 $130,691 $50,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 137 $114,919 $24,784
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 121 $99,784 $34,519
Special Education and Teaching Master's 20 $86,603 $42,073
Education, General Master's 117 $77,441 $42,924
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 115 $74,495 $18,750
Biology, General Bachelor's 40 $65,365 $25,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Master's 54 $64,937 $28,266
Business/Corporate Communications Bachelor's - $60,187 $22,658
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's 42 $59,654 $26,244
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 37 $59,183 $14,500
Design and Applied Arts Bachelor's 15 $57,740 -
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's 59 $56,198 $25,000
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 22 $47,092 $21,500
Psychology, General Bachelor's 67 $46,437 $21,984

Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Point Loma Nazarene University?
Point Loma Nazarene University is a private nonprofit institution in San Diego, California. The acceptance rate is 83.7%. The average SAT score is 1,287. Undergraduate enrollment is 3,188 students.
How much do Point Loma Nazarene University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Point Loma Nazarene University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $63,998 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $54,811.
How much does Point Loma Nazarene University cost?
The average net price at Point Loma Nazarene University is $38,729. In-state tuition is $46,250 and out-of-state tuition is $46,250. Median student debt at graduation is $22,990.
What is the graduation rate at Point Loma Nazarene University?
Point Loma Nazarene University has a 75.5% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 85.5%.
Is Point Loma Nazarene University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Point Loma Nazarene University is $22,990, while former students earn a median of $63,998 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 36% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 84.7% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $244.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Point Loma Nazarene University

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.