Match #1
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate63%
- 3,553 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 78%, close to 77%
- Enrollment 3,553 students, close to 3,188
The colleges most similar to Point Loma Nazarene University are Pepperdine University, Biola University, and The Master's University and Seminary. Point Loma Nazarene University admits 84% of applicants and has an average net price of $40,555 a year; 9 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 5 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Point Loma Nazarene University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Point Loma Nazarene University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Biola University
La Mirada, CA
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate74%
- 3,474 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 3,474 students, close to 3,188
- Acceptance rate 74%, close to 84%
Match #3
The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita, CA
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate84%
- 1,622 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Acceptance rate 84%, close to 84%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #4
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate88%
- 2,759 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 2,759 students, close to 3,188
- Acceptance rate 88%, close to 84%
Match #5
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA
Profile closeness62/100
Admit rate77%
- 1,302 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 77%, close to 84%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #6
California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate85%
- 8,179 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Acceptance rate 85%, close to 84%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #7
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, CA
Profile closeness57/100
Admit rate83%
- 566 students
- Private nonprofit
- Rural: Distant
- Graduation rate 83%, close to 77%
- Acceptance rate 83%, close to 84%
Match #8
Vanguard University of Southern California
Costa Mesa, CA
Profile closeness54/100
Admit rate62%
- 1,933 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #9
La Sierra University
Riverside, CA
Profile closeness49/100
Admit rate92%
- 1,116 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Acceptance rate 92%, close to 84%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #10
William Jessup University
Rocklin, CA
Profile closeness48/100
Admit rate93%
- 1,294 students
- Private nonprofit
- Rural: Fringe
- Acceptance rate 93%, close to 84%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Questions about Point Loma Nazarene University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Point Loma Nazarene University?
The closest matches to Point Loma Nazarene University are Pepperdine University, Biola University, The Master's University and Seminary, Azusa Pacific University, and Westmont College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Point Loma Nazarene University hard to get into?
Point Loma Nazarene University admitted 84% of its 3,060 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 5 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Point Loma Nazarene University alternatives cost less?
9 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Point Loma Nazarene University ($40,555 a year), including Azusa Pacific University ($22,597), La Sierra University ($22,767), and Vanguard University of Southern California ($23,231). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
