California Lutheran Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
California Lutheran University is a private research university in Thousand Oaks, California, enrolling about 2,296 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 75.67% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $68,712 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $52,560
- 2024 Average Net Price: $30,109 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 75.67% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 2,296 97.9% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 69.60%
- Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
- First-Generation Students: 35.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 5.5% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 6.5% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 100.0%
- Average SAT Score: 1266
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,467
- Applicants (IPEDS): 5,290
- Room & Board: $16,810 annual estimate
California Lutheran University: what the data shows
Common questions about California Lutheran University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is California Lutheran University?
California Lutheran University is located in Thousand Oaks, CA (ZIP 91360-2787).
NCES locale classification: Suburb.
Is California Lutheran University public or private?
California Lutheran University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does California Lutheran University cost?
Published tuition: $52,560.
Average net price after aid: $30,109.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $22,161 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $23,668 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $24,318 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $29,303 |
| $110,001+ | $38,364 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $210,240.
How hard is it to get into California Lutheran University?
Admission rate: 75.67%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1266 and midpoint ACT 26.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is California Lutheran University?
Total enrollment: 2,296 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,467 students.
Graduate enrollment: 1,054 students.
About 98% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at California Lutheran University?
150%-time completion rate: 69.60%.
First-year retention: 78.8%.
What do graduates of California Lutheran University earn?
Median earnings: $54,981 six years after entry; $68,712 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $21,669.
31.09% of students receive Pell grants.
What is California Lutheran University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (171 completions)
- Psychology, General (86 completions)
- Education, General (44 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (42 completions)
- Criminology (42 completions)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric (40 completions)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology (39 completions)
- Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling (36 completions)
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services (31 completions)
- Information Technology (29 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is California Lutheran University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 75.67%; completion rate 69.60%; median earnings $68,712 at 10 years; net price $30,109. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$52,560
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at California Lutheran University was $52,560.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$30,109
2024 Value
In 2024 California Lutheran University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $30,109.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$120,436 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$30,109 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$210,240 4-Year Tuition
$16,810 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$934 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$70,304 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$281,216 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for California Lutheran University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
31.09% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
49.85% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at California Lutheran University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for California Lutheran University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $35,720 | $35,720 | $28,107 |
| 2014 | $37,140 | $37,140 | $27,918 |
| 2015 | $38,430 | $38,430 | $28,487 |
| 2016 | $39,793 | $39,793 | $30,329 |
| 2017 | $41,363 | $41,363 | $25,871 |
| 2018 | $42,692 | $42,692 | $27,220 |
| 2019 | $44,382 | $44,382 | $26,489 |
| 2020 | $45,982 | $45,982 | $27,410 |
| 2021 | $46,012 | $46,012 | $21,442 |
| 2022 | $48,012 | $48,012 | $28,284 |
| 2023 | $50,670 | $50,670 | $26,433 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
75.67% Acceptance Rate
5,290 Total Applicants
4,702 Students Admitted
575 First-Time Students Enrolled
12.23% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1266
ACT Average: 26
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.3 - 3.5
Estimated Median GPA: 3.40
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
California Lutheran University reported total enrollment of about 2,296 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 45% male and 55% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (41.0%), White (35.9%), and Two or More Races (6.5%). About 31.09% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 35.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at California Lutheran University in 2024 is 2,296 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,467 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,054 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.8%
2024 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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Hispanic or Latino at 41.0%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
62.11% 100% Completion Time
69.60% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 62.11% of students graduating from California Lutheran University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 58% male / 42% female
- Psychology, General: 23% male / 77% female
- Education, General: 14% male / 86% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Hispanic or Latino.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for California Lutheran University.
Return on Investment
$21,669 Median Student Debt
$68,712 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
31.54% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
470.53% Return on Investment
3.2 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for California Lutheran University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 61 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 171 completions
2. Psychology, General: 86 completions
3. Education, General: 44 completions
4. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 42 completions
5. Criminology: 42 completions
6. Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 40 completions
7. Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 39 completions
8. Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling: 36 completions
9. Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services: 31 completions
Most popular programs at California Lutheran University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for California Lutheran University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for California Lutheran University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $10,794
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $12,168
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
California Lutheran University is a private non-profit institution located in Thousand Oaks, CA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Psychology, General, Education, General. Enrollment is approximately 2,296 students. Student body composition includes Hispanic or Latino (41.0%), White (35.9%), Two or More Races (6.5%). The admission rate is 75.67%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1266. The 150%-time completion rate is 69.60%. Approximately 31.09% of students receive Pell Grants. About 35.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Location
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-2787
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 61 distinct degree programs, California Lutheran University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is California Lutheran University located?
California Lutheran University is located in Thousand Oaks, CA.
What is California Lutheran University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at California Lutheran University is 75.7% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 5,290 applicants and 4,702 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does California Lutheran University cost?
Reported tuition is $52,560 and average net price is $30,109 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $16,810 annually.
What is the student body demographics at California Lutheran University?
California Lutheran University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,467 students, Hispanic or Latino (41.0%), White (35.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend California Lutheran University?
About 35.4% of students at California Lutheran University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for California Lutheran University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, California Lutheran University reports midpoint SAT about 1266 and midpoint ACT about 26.
What do graduates of California Lutheran University earn?
Median earnings are $54,981 six years after entry and $68,712 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at California Lutheran University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 69.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do California Lutheran University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,669.
Is California Lutheran University public or private?
California Lutheran University is a private nonprofit institution located in Thousand Oaks, CA.
Is California Lutheran University an HBCU?
No. California Lutheran University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is California Lutheran University a tribal college?
No. California Lutheran University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- Far West regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.