University overview
Editorial ViewLocation, editorial summary, and verified institutional context.
About two miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the hills of south Orange County, California, lies Soka University of America. Founded in 2001 as a sister institution to Soka University of Japan, the American institution has fewer than 500 students, making it the smallest and youngest...
Admissions
Verified DataSelectivity, enrollment funnel, and reported test score ranges from verified federal data.
Institution type
Private nonprofit
Carnegie
A Liberal Arts College or College with an Arts & Sciences focus
Setting
Large suburb
Applicants
519
Admits
272
First-time enrollment cohort
133
SAT ERW: 560–645
SAT Math: 645–755
ACT: 24–28
Academics
Verified DataEnrollment scale, calendar structure, and outcome-linked academic signals.
Total students
435
435 students
Calendar
semester
Academic calendar
Graduation rate
91%
Reported outcomes
Retention rate
94%
First-year retention
Carnegie classification
A Liberal Arts College or College with an Arts & Sciences focus
Cost and affordability
Verified DataTuition, net price, and aid signals sourced from federal reporting where available.
Average net price
N/A
After grants and scholarships for in-state students where reported.
Campus life
Verified DataCulture percentile bands describe student life intensity across common fit dimensions.
Campus culture bands are not yet available for Soka University of America. Theme attributes and athletics may still appear under Special Features.
Rankings and recognition
Verified DataCollegesRef does not invent magazine-style ranks. This section surfaces verified classification data and editorial context only.
Carnegie classification
A Liberal Arts College or College with an Arts & Sciences focus
Institutional classification used for academic peer grouping.
Athletics
Not reported
NCAA division where available from verified imports.
Editorial spotlight
Soka University of America — editorial overview (Aliso Viejo, CA)
About two miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the hills of south Orange County, California, lies Soka University of America. Founded in 2001 as a sister institution to Soka University of Japan, the American institution has fewer than 500 students, making it the smallest and youngest...
Outcomes and after college
Verified DataVerified outcomes from imported federal datasets. Editorial interpretation may supplement these facts elsewhere on the profile.
Median earnings
N/A
Median earnings where reported by federal outcomes data.
Retention rate
94%
First-year student retention.
Graduation rate
91%
Students graduating within 150% of normal time.
Student reviews
Editorial ViewUser-submitted reviews are not fabricated for launch. This report card summarizes verified data signals until moderated student voices are available.
Data report card
Soka University of America
About two miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the hills of south Orange County, California, lies Soka University of America. Founded in 2001 as a sister institution to Soka University of Japan, the American institution has fewer than 500 students, making it the smallest and youngest...
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Special features
Verified DataCurated theme attributes and athletics context that distinguish campus character.
Sources and data freshness
Verified Data- Legacy CLGS importLast verified 2026-06-29T06:23:58+00:00
CollegesRef separates verified federal and institutional data from editorial interpretation. Personalized AI matching is available via Colleges Like This.
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