University of the People Tuition & Completion (2026)
University of the People is a private two-year college in Pasadena, California, with about 22,688 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Published tuition for full-time study starts near $1,400 before fees and financial aid. Student demographics in federal data include Race/ethnicity unknown (87.9%) and White (4.7%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $1,400
- 2024 Average Net Price: $N/A After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 22,688 65.5% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 33.54%
- Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 58,606
- Room & Board: $2,001 annual estimate
University of the People: what the data shows
Common questions about University of the People, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is University of the People?
University of the People is located in Pasadena, CA (ZIP 91101).
NCES locale classification: Suburb.
Is University of the People public or private?
University of the People is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does University of the People cost?
Published tuition: $1,400.
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $5,600.
How big is University of the People?
Total enrollment: 22,688 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 58,606 students.
Graduate enrollment: 5,060 students.
About 66% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at University of the People?
150%-time completion rate: 33.54%.
How much debt do students have?
0.00% of students receive Pell grants.
What is University of the People known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (3,292 completions)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (1,077 completions)
- Public Health, General (585 completions)
- Secondary Education and Teaching (335 completions)
- Elementary Education and Teaching (270 completions)
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels (131 completions)
- Information Technology (61 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is University of the People a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 33.54%. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$1,400
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at University of the People was $1,400.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$N/A
2024 Value
In 2024 University of the People had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $N/A.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$5,600 4-Year Tuition
$2,001 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$3,401 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$13,604 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for University of the People.
Financial Aid by Income Level
0.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
0.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
Not reported
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at University of the People was not reported in the College Scorecard extract for this institution.
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 University of the People in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2020–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $1,200 | $1,200 | — |
| 2021 | $1,200 | $1,200 | — |
| 2022 | $1,200 | $1,200 | — |
| 2023 | $1,200 | $1,200 | — |
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
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of the People reported total enrollment of about 22,688 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 53% male and 47% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Race/ethnicity unknown (87.9%), White (4.7%), and Hispanic or Latino (2.7%).
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
65.5% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of the People in 2024 is 22,688 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 58,606 students. Graduate enrollment is about 5,060 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
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 Race/ethnicity unknown at 87.9%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
17.01% 100% Completion Time
33.54% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 17.01% of students graduating from University of the People 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: 55% male / 45% female
- Computer and Information Sciences, General: 79% male / 21% female
- Public Health, General: 37% male / 63% 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: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for University of the People.
Return on Investment
ROI data is not available for this institution.
Financial value analysis for University of the People.
Top Programs by Completions
7 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 8 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 3,292 completions
2. Computer and Information Sciences, General: 1,077 completions
3. Public Health, General: 585 completions
4. Secondary Education and Teaching: 335 completions
5. Elementary Education and Teaching: 270 completions
6. Teacher Education, Multiple Levels: 131 completions
7. Information Technology: 61 completions
Most popular programs at University of the People.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for University of the People graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for University of the People from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $199
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
University of the People is a private non-profit institution located in Pasadena, 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, Computer and Information Sciences, General, Public Health, General. Enrollment is approximately 22,688 students. Student body composition includes Race/ethnicity unknown (87.9%), White (4.7%), Hispanic or Latino (2.7%). The 150%-time completion rate is 33.54%.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Location
Pasadena, CA 91101
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 33.54% graduation rate at University of the People falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of the People located?
University of the People is located in Pasadena, CA.
How much does University of the People cost?
Reported tuition is $1,400 and average net price is N/A in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $2,001 annually.
What is the student body demographics at University of the People?
University of the People reports undergraduate enrollment of about 58,606 students, Race/ethnicity unknown (87.9%), White (4.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
What is the graduation rate at University of the People?
The 150%-time completion rate is 33.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
Is University of the People public or private?
University of the People is a private nonprofit institution located in Pasadena, CA.
Is University of the People an HBCU?
No. University of the People is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is University of the People a tribal college?
No. University of the People is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is University of the People a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, University of the People does not meet that proxy (reported share 2.7%).
Is University of the People religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for University of the People in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
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
- Pasadena, California city profile
- 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.