Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) vs La Sierra University

Point Loma Nazarene University and La Sierra University, both esteemed private Christian universities in Southern California, offer distinct educational experiences. Point Loma Nazarene University, located in San Diego, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to La Sierra University's (65%). While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, Point Loma Nazarene University excels in the fields of business, biology, and nursing, while La Sierra University is renowned for its theology, education, and health professions programs. Point Loma Nazarene University's student body is slightly larger and more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students. In terms of graduation rates, La Sierra University holds a slight edge, with a marginally higher percentage of students completing their degrees within four years. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table below, highlighting key differences between these two institutions. Explore the table to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	La Sierra University	Point Loma Nazarene University
Overview
Location	Riverside, California	San Diego, California
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	72.0%	84.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Protestant	Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.1%	83.7%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $55 Graduate: $50
SAT range	880 - 1140	1170 - 1350
ACT range	18 - 28	22 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	25.0%	15.0%
Students submitting ACT score	2.0%	10.0%
Total number of applicants	2,726	3,060
Total number of admissions given out	1,801	2,560
Admitted students who chose to enroll	287	662
Yield rate	15.9%	25.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$59,289	$62,642
Average net price	$25,230	$34,851
Tuition	$33,228	$38,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,740 Meal plan: $4,050	$11,300
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $20,812	100.0% Average amount $18,365
Students receiving federal student loan	59.0% Average amount $4,980	45.0% Average amount $5,325
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $22,020	6.0% Average amount $22,040

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,351 Men 41.2% Women 58.8%	3,174 Men 34.3% Women 65.7%
Graduate students	387 Men 33.1% Women 66.9%	1,271 Men 29.2% Women 70.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	26.3%
International students	14.1%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	850	1,845
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	California Washington Colorado Arizona Hawaii

Academics
Popular study areas	Law Enforcement and Firefighting Health Professions Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Business Health Professions Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	44.9%	72.7%
Dropout rate	20.1%	3.8%
Transferred out	34.7%	22.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,771 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $56,649 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,359 Year 2: $26,933 Year 3: $41,100 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $41,044 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $22,771 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,215 Year 2: $16,478 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,179 Year 2: $28,019 Year 3: N/A Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,431 Year 2: $29,751 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,619 Year 2: $118,210 Year 3: $128,990 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $85,406 Year 2: $85,206 Year 3: $89,492 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,310 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $80,351 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $66,821 Year 3: $76,001 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $63,749 Year 3: $74,448 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,649 Year 2: $61,681 Year 3: $59,139 Business/Corporate Communications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,198 Year 2: $40,402 Year 3: $43,339 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,184 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $43,147 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,147 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $41,978 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,647 Year 2: $30,228 Year 3: $35,103

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