Biola University

Biola University offers accessible admissions, though its national standing has experienced a sustained decline. In the 2027 U.S. News Best National Universities ranking, Biola placed at 288, dropping from a position of 159 back in 2018. Gaining admission is relatively straightforward; for the 2025 entering cohort, the university posted an acceptance rate of 74.3%. While Biola accepts the vast majority of applicants, it commands solid commitment from those who receive offers. In 2025, its yield rate reached 29.7%, which was higher than 93% of peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked private universities. For prospective applicants, these dynamics indicate that Biola presents a reliable admissions profile where standard qualifications often suffice, yet the institution retains a remarkably dedicated core of applicants who prioritize enrolling once admitted.

Biola University maintains competitive academic standards for incoming students, posting standardized test results well above most institutional peers. In 2025, the university's median SAT score reached 1265, which was higher than 94% of peer schools in a comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. Admitted undergraduates who submitted test scores generally scored in the upper ranges across both sections, with ACT composite scores clustering between the mid and upper twenties. For international students assessing their admissions profile, applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are unofficial data rather than official university statistics, show admitted applicants holding a median unweighted GPA of 3.87 alongside a median SAT score of 1230. These figures suggest that prospective applicants are best positioned when they demonstrate consistent classroom achievement near that unweighted 3.87 grade point average combined with standardized testing that aligns with or exceeds the institution's typical ranges.

Academic degrees at Biola University span business, healthcare, media arts, and theological training, with a moderate degree of concentration at the undergraduate level. In 2025, the top three undergraduate programs—Business Administration and Management, General; Psychology, General; and Cinematography and Film/Video Production—together accounted for 30.9% of all bachelor's degrees awarded. The university also confers degrees across specialized graduate fields, including divinity and clinical psychology, though its ranked academic programs place beyond the top national tiers in U.S. News rankings. Post-graduation compensation varies widely depending on the chosen discipline. According to 2023 earnings data, Registered Nursing graduates earned the highest median salary one year after graduation at $100,604, followed by Business Administration graduates at $55,080. Other disciplines, such as communication and journalism, saw starting earnings cluster in the low forty-thousand-dollar range. For applicants, this distribution highlights that career and salary outcomes depend heavily on specific professional tracks rather than broad institutional recognition.

Biola University enrolled a total of 5,434 students in 2025, divided between a dominant undergraduate community and a substantial graduate population. Undergraduates comprise the majority of campus enrollment, including first-year, continuing, and transfer students, with White and Hispanic students representing the two largest racial groups across all undergraduate cohorts. Asian students and international students maintain a steady presence on campus, with their representation increasing noticeably at the advanced degree level. Among the university's 1,953 graduate students, Asian students account for 18.5% of the division and international students make up 15.4%. In contrast, international students comprise single-digit percentages within each undergraduate class, and Asian undergraduates represent slightly more than a tenth of degree seekers. Gender balances also diverge between programs: women make up the majority of undergraduate cohorts, whereas men represent a slight majority in the graduate school.

Undergraduate life at Biola University revolves predominantly around traditional college-aged students, while the graduate division serves a broad spectrum of adult learners. In 2025, students aged 18 to 19 made up 39.6% of the undergraduate student body, and those aged 20 to 21 accounted for 36.7%. Together with students in their early twenties, they create a conventional undergraduate environment where older non-traditional students are relatively rare. In contrast, graduate programs display a far more mature demographic profile. Students aged 40 to 49 constituted 20.1% of the graduate cohort, roughly matching the 20% accounted for by students aged 25 to 29. This division between young undergraduates and working professionals or mid-career graduate scholars shapes two distinct campus communities.

International enrollment at Biola University has expanded significantly over the past decade, with representation weighted heavily toward graduate study. In 2025, international undergraduates represented 6.8% of the undergraduate student body, a share that was higher than 70% of peer private universities in its comparison group. At the graduate level, global representation was far more pronounced, with international students making up 15.4% of all graduate enrollees. This upward trajectory by degree level is reflected directly among graduating classes: international students earned 7.5% of bachelor's degrees, 13.4% of master's degrees, and 29% of doctoral degrees in 2025. In terms of academic fields, undergraduate international students concentrated most prominently in Business Administration and Management, General, where they represented 13.3% of graduates. At the master's level, Business/Commerce, General enrolled the largest share of international graduates, followed by theological studies. For prospective international students, these patterns indicate an established presence across business and advanced degree tracks.

Several prominent higher education alternatives are located within a short drive of Biola University in the greater Los Angeles area. Just 7.6 kilometers away is California State University-Fullerton, a large public national university ranked 156 in 2027. Another nearby public option is California State University-Long Beach, located 10.2 kilometers from campus with a 2027 national university rank of 137. Families seeking a private comprehensive university close by can look to Chapman University, situated 12.1 kilometers away and ranked 100 on the 2027 national university list. Further east, Azusa Pacific University is located 17.1 kilometers away, carrying a 2027 national ranking of 299.

Campus safety at Biola University has shown a downward trend in reported incidents over the past decade. The university's weighted crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 3.4 in 2025, reflecting a steady decrease from earlier years. From 2023 to 2025, the majority of recorded campus infractions involved policy violations handled through disciplinary action rather than violent criminal acts. Drug disciplinary referrals represented the single largest category, with 48 incidents recorded over that three-year period, followed by 17 alcohol-related disciplinary referrals. Property crimes also occurred on campus grounds, led by 13 motor vehicle thefts along with smaller numbers of burglaries, weapons referrals, and harassment reports. Overall, these figures indicate that while rule enforcement regarding substance use accounts for most activity on the blotter, serious offenses remain comparatively limited, offering prospective applicants a clear view of security conditions on campus.