Skip to content
U.S. News #208 Private nonprofit, 4-year

University of La Verne

La Verne, California · www.laverne.edu

中文

U.S. News National 2027

#208

Up 5 from 2026

Acceptance rate

71.2%

2025

Peer median 75.7%

Tuition per year

$49,470

$65,300 with room and board

Peer median $43,383

Undergraduates

3,050

Student-faculty ratio 10:1

Peer median 12 : 1

Graduation rate

52.5%

4-year; 6-year rate 63.0%

Peer median 57.6%

“Peers” are the 30 closest-ranked private national universities, the same comparison used in this page's data notes.

About

The University of La Verne is an independent, non-profit private institution located in the suburban community of La Verne, California, nestled in the foothills east of Los Angeles. Operating without any religious affiliation, the university delivers four-year undergraduate degrees alongside an array of master's and doctoral credentials. In the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, La Verne stood at rank 208 among National Universities. The institution serves a student body drawn largely from Southern California, with core academic divisions spanning the arts and sciences, business, education, and health disciplines. Graduate education features programs in public administration, educational leadership, and psychology, addressing regional workforce demands across local school districts, public agencies, and healthcare organizations. Situated within close proximity to major metropolitan hubs, the university combines small-college classroom settings with access to the diverse professional landscape of greater Los Angeles, catering to both traditional college learners and adult professionals pursuing advanced degrees.

Attending the University of La Verne represents a substantial financial expense paired with modest student retention and degree completion outcomes. In 2025, undergraduate tuition was $49,470, placing the institution higher than 73% of peer private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. Despite this high cost, student persistence after the first year remains a notable institutional challenge. The university recorded a first-year retention rate of 64.5% in 2025, which was lower than all peer schools in its comparison cohort. Degree completion similarly indicates that many undergraduates take extended paths toward graduation. Over a longer window, the six-year graduation rate reached 63%, with the four-year graduation rate remaining lower. For prospective applicants and their families weighing educational value, these metrics highlight the need to evaluate academic support and personal readiness before enrolling, as initial retention lags considerably behind comparable private institutions across the country.

This collegeRanked colleges nearby

Setting
Suburb of a large city
Nearest major city
Riverside, about 25 mi
Nearest international airport
Ontario International Airport (ONT), about 10 mi
La Verne, California
Also known as
La Verne
Academic calendar
Semester
Religious affiliation
Not applicable
President
Risa Dickson (President)
Phone
9095933511
City
La Verne, California
Address
1950 Third St, La Verne, CA 91750-4401

Rankings & Admission

Acceptance rate (%)

Peer median 75.7% · the 30 closest-ranked private national universities

Acceptance rate by gender, 2025

Men
67.4%
Women
73.3%

In 2020: men 53.8%, women 55.4%.

U.S. News National Universities · last 10 years
#96 #130 #164 #198 2018: #159 2019: #136 2020: #132 2021: #112 #112 2022: #136 2023: #151 2024: #170 2025: #196 2026: #213 #213 2027: #208 #208 20182027

Best #112, lowest #213, latest #208 over the last ten years.

Data insights

Admission to the University of La Verne is relatively accessible, but the university encounters noticeable hurdles in convincing accepted applicants to enroll. In the 2027 U.S. News rankings, the university stood at rank 208, reflecting a softer competitive position than in previous years. For 2025, the overall acceptance rate was 71.2%, which is higher than 40% of 30 private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. While this broad acceptance rate signals an accessible admissions door for qualified candidates, matriculation patterns reveal a different dynamic. The yield rate reached only 9.8%, placing it higher than just 13% of peer schools in that comparison cohort. When less than one in ten admitted applicants chooses to register, it typically indicates that prospective undergraduates view the university as an alternative option alongside competing institutions. Applicants can expect favorable odds of receiving an offer, though the institution's standing suggests families should carefully weigh academic offerings against their long-term expectations.

School and Program Rankings

U.S. News school and program rankings · Click a school to see its programs, and a program for its full ranking

Undergraduate Rankings · 2027 edition

Social Sciences and Humanities1 programs—

Ranks in blue are top 10 · ▲▼ change from the previous edition · “—” means no overall ranking for that school · Medical schools are ranked in tiers since the 2025 edition

Test Scores

2025 admitted students, 25th–75th percentile · 5% submitted SAT, 2% submitted ACT · SAT/ACT optional: considered if submitted

SAT total986–1236Peer median 1223
ACT composite18–25
SAT Reading
498–663
600700800
SAT Math
488–573
600700800
ACT composite
18–25
253036

Data insights

Prospective applicants to the University of La Verne encounter an accessible admissions threshold based on reported academic profiles. For the enrolled class of 2025, the median SAT score was 1095, which is higher than 9% of peer private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. Standardized tests play a limited role in current enrollments, as the vast majority of entering undergraduates did not submit exam results. To provide practical context for global applicants, applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are unofficial data rather than official institutional reports, show admitted international students with a median unweighted high school GPA of 3.44 and a median SAT score of 1155. These figures indicate that applicants with solid secondary school marks and mid-range test results fit well within the competitive range for admission. For prospective students planning their applications, maintaining consistent high school coursework offers a dependable pathway toward meeting the university's academic standards.

How Hard Is It to Get In

about 7 in 10

7,110 applicants in 2025, 71.2% admitted

5,060 admitted 2,050 not admitted Yield 9.8%

Degrees & Majors

Graduates in 2025 (first major)

Associate110 international (0.0%)
Bachelor's83232 international (3.8%)
Master's69572 international (10.4%)
Doctoral1275 international (3.9%)
Top 10 Bachelor's majors by graduates
Business Administration and Management, General
182
Psychology, General
95
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
67
Education, General
63
Organizational Leadership
54
Criminology
52
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
50
Computer and Information Sciences, General
36
Child Development
26
Political Science and Government, General
24

U.S. studentsInternational

Popular graduate programs

  • Business Administration and Management, General · Master's126 (21% international)
  • Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services · Master's107 (0% international)
  • Law · Doctoral88 (2% international)
  • Elementary Education and Teaching · Master's77 (0% international)
  • Organizational Behavior Studies · Master's60 (7% international)
  • School Psychology · Master's33 (0% international)

Data insights

Academic degrees at the University of La Verne are noticeably concentrated in professional tracks, though none of its academic disciplines rank within the national top 100. In 2025, undergraduate conferrals clustered heavily around a few popular subjects, with the top three bachelor's majors accounting for 41.3% of all undergraduate degrees. The single largest bachelor's program was Business Administration and Management, General, which produced 182 graduates, followed in size by General Psychology and Exercise Science. Despite their substantial enrollment, these prominent undergraduate majors do not hold top national rankings, as the university's best graduate and undergraduate program placements fall outside the top 100. For graduates entering the workforce, career outcomes vary widely depending on the chosen field of study. According to 2023 earnings data, bachelor's recipients in Public Administration achieved the highest median earnings one year after graduation at $75,236, followed by computer science and accounting alumni.

All majors, graduates and earnings IPEDS · College Scorecard

*Depends on whether majors have graduates in 2025 or not, Yes / No
**Move mouse on can check deitaled graudates number, click for major detailed information
***Due to privacy policy, graduate salaries are not shown for some majors that has few gradautes

Businesshas 466 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Business/Commerce, General.-
Business Administration and Management, General.$60,188-$96,545
E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce.$60,188-$96,545
Organizational Leadership.$60,188-$96,545
Accounting.$62,716
Finance, General.-
Organizational Behavior Studies.$86,184
International Business/Trade/Commerce.-
Educationhas 362 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Education, General.$34,846
Educational Leadership and Administration, General.-
Special Education and Teaching, General.-
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services.-
Elementary Education and Teaching.-
Secondary Education and Teaching.-
Psychology has 157 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Psychology, General.$30,151
Clinical Psychology.-
School Psychology.-
Psychology, Other.-
Social sciencehas 106 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Social Sciences, General.-
Anthropology, General.-
Criminology.$43,506
Economics, General.-
International Relations and Affairs.-
Political Science and Government, General.$37,451
Sociology, General.$43,325
Legal professionshas 98 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Legal Studies.-
Law.-
Health professionshas 80 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Health/Health Care Administration/Management.-
Physician Assistant.-
Athletic Training/Trainer.-
Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling.-
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse.-
Human science has 68 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Child Development.$36,693
Child Care and Support Services Management.$36,693
Parks, recreation, leisure has 67 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Exercise Science and Kinesiology.-
Biologyhas 50 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Biology/Biological Sciences, General.$32,199
Computer and information sciencehas 46 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Computer and Information Sciences, General.$65,043
Information Technology.$65,043
Communication has 40 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Speech Communication and Rhetoric.$33,700
Mass Communication/Media Studies.$33,700
Journalism.-
Radio and Television.-
Multi/inerdisciplinary studies has 30 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Data Analytics, General.-
Public administrationhas 30 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Public Administration.$75,236
Visual and Performing artshas 22 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.-
Photography.-
Fine/Studio Arts, General.-
Art History, Criticism and Conservation.-
Music, General.-
Liberal arts has 13 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies.$31,441
General Studies.$31,441
Physical scienceshas 11 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Chemistry, General.-
Physics, General.-
English has 11 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
English Language and Literature, General.-
Creative Writing.-
History has 5 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
History, General.-
Mathmatics and statistics has 2 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Mathematics, General.-
Philosophy has 1 graduates in 2025
MajorGraduate SalaryAssociateUnderMasterDoctor
Philosophy.-

Students

5,021 students in 2025 · Undergraduate men to women 40:60 · Freshman retention 64.5%

Undergraduate race and ethnicity (3,050)

Hispanic
1,925 · 63.1%
White
497 · 16.3%
Black
243 · 8.0%
Asian
179 · 5.9%
Two or more races
108 · 3.5%
International
42 · 1.4%
Unknown
38 · 1.2%

Age distribution

Bachelor's

Under 18
0.0%
18–19
17.3%
20–21
35.6%
22–24
22.1%
25 and over
25.0%

Graduate students

Under 22
0.0%
22–24
12.0%
25–29
31.3%
30–34
19.8%
35 and over
36.9%

Data insights

The University of La Verne maintains a student body where Hispanic students form the majority across all academic divisions, while Asian and international students account for smaller shares. At the undergraduate entry level, the university enrolled 24 Asian freshmen, representing 4.8% of the incoming class, alongside very few international first-year students. Non-domestic representation is noticeably more prominent in post-baccalaureate education. The graduate division enrolled 167 international students, who comprise 8.5% of all graduate students on campus. Asian scholars also maintain a steady presence in graduate classrooms and upper-division undergraduate studies. Domestic enrollment is rounded out by White and Black students across degree tracks. For prospective students, this profile indicates a campus rooted primarily in regional communities, where international peers are concentrated within advanced professional and master's degree programs.

The student body at the University of La Verne displays a marked generational divide between undergraduate and graduate divisions. Among the 3,050 undergraduates enrolled in 2025, the vast majority fall within traditional collegiate age brackets, led by students aged 20 to 21 who comprise 35.6% of the undergraduate population. This concentration creates a traditional campus rhythm focused on daytime coursework and undergraduate activities. In contrast, graduate programs serve working adults and career changers, where students aged 25 to 29 represent the largest segment at 31.3%, followed closely by cohorts in their thirties and forties. This separation means undergraduate campus life is dominated by young adults, while graduate programs accommodate seasoned professionals balancing evening coursework with professional obligations.

International Students

International share over the last 10 years · gray line: median of the 30 closest-ranked private national universities

Undergraduates1.4%

42 in 2025 · 2.6% in 2016

0% 5% 10% 2016: 2.6%2017: 2.9%2018: 3.3%2019: 3.7%2020: 4.2%2021: 3.3%2022: 3.1%2023: 2.8%2024: 2.1%2025: 1.4%
2016Peer median 4.1%2025
Graduate students8.5%

167 in 2025 · 15.3% in 2016

0% 10% 20% 2016: 15.3%2017: 16.4%2018: 16.6%2019: 13.2%2020: 12.5%2021: 8.7%2022: 6.4%2023: 5.4%2024: 7.5%2025: 8.5%
2016Peer median 6.4%2025

Data insights

International student representation at the University of La Verne has trended downward over the past decade across both academic levels. In 2025, international students made up just 1.4% of the undergraduate student body, placing the university higher than 17% of peer private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. The undergraduate international share has decreased steadily from its earlier levels, leaving overseas undergraduates as a very small cohort on campus. The graduate division has seen a corresponding contraction, with the international share dropping over time to reach 8.5% in 2025. When evaluating graduating classes by degree level and major, foreign students are minimally present in undergraduate programs but show meaningful concentration in advanced professional fields. Specifically, international graduates concentrate most heavily in the master's program in Business Administration and Management, General, where they accounted for 21.4% of degree recipients. For prospective international applicants, these patterns demonstrate that while undergraduate global student life is limited, graduate business studies offer an established community of international peers.

Cost

2025 cost per year

$65,300

Undergraduate tuition
$49,470
Room and board
$15,830
Graduate tuition
$15,318
Tuition and room and board over time

Peer median tuition + room and board $57,083 · the 30 closest-ranked private national universities

Tuition rose 28% from 2016 to 2025; room and board rose 27%.

Finances · fiscal year 2024

Revenue$159M

Tuition and fees
$112M70.4%
Investment return
$24.3M15.3%
Auxiliary enterprises
$12.6M7.9%
Government grants and contracts
$4.2M2.6%
Gifts and private grants
$2.7M1.7%
Other
$3.3M2.1%

Expenses$142M

Instruction
$53.0M37.3%
Institutional support
$41.2M29.0%
Student services
$20.6M14.5%
Academic support
$17.5M12.4%
Auxiliary enterprises
$9.6M6.8%

Average faculty salary · 2025 (9-month equivalent)

Dark gray ticks: median pay for the same rank at the 30 closest-ranked private national universities

All faculty
$95,563peers $90,361
Professor
$111,953peers $109,759
Associate professor
$99,346peers $90,883
Assistant professor
$68,979peers $78,910
Instructor
$63,588peers $64,478

Campus Life

Athletics and varsity athletes NCAA · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: football, basketball, baseball, cross country

2025
NCAA Division III with footballMENWOMEN
Football114-
Soccer3326
Track and Field (Outdoor)3018
Baseball46-
Water Polo1719
Basketball1718
Cross Country1513
Softball-25
Volleyball-22
Golf109
Swimming810
2024
NCAA Division III with footballMENWOMEN
Football115-
Track and Field (Outdoor)3422
Soccer3123
Baseball49-
Basketball2123
Cross Country2114
Softball-26
Water Polo1015
Swimming1210
Golf910
Volleyball-18
2023
NCAA Division III with footballMENWOMEN
Football109-
Soccer3128
Track and Field (Outdoor)2818
Baseball42-
Basketball1823
Water Polo1420
Softball-27
Cross Country165
Volleyball-21
Swimming and Diving (combined)119
Golf97

Nearby & Safety

Ranked colleges nearby

Data insights

Applicants exploring higher education institutions in the local area can consider several nearby colleges with distinct institutional profiles. Just 3.4 kilometers away sits Pomona College, ranked 3rd among National Liberal Arts Colleges in 2027. Nearby Claremont McKenna College also holds the 3rd rank among National Liberal Arts Colleges and is situated 3.6 kilometers from campus. In the national university category, Azusa Pacific University is located 6.9 kilometers away and was ranked 299th in 2027, while California State University-Fullerton is located 16.5 kilometers away with a 2027 national university ranking of 156.

Campus safety · incidents per 1,000 students

Peer median 5.4 · the 30 closest-ranked private national universities

Incidents, 2023–2025

Liquor referrals
53
Drug referrals
18
Stalking
10
Dating violence
6
Fondling
5
Rape
4

From the Clery Act campus safety reports schools file, covering on-campus, non-campus and public property.

Data insights

Campus safety records at the University of La Verne indicate that student disciplinary actions constitute the vast majority of reported issues rather than serious violent crime. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate per 1,000 students of 4.4, based on Forward Pathway's weighted metric that incorporates lower weights for disciplinary infractions. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, conduct violations involving substance policies formed the primary category of incidents, led by 53 alcohol-related disciplinary referrals and 18 drug disciplinary referrals. Over that same timeframe, reports of security-related criminal offenses were much less frequent, including 10 stalking incidents alongside a small number of dating violence and harassment reports. These records suggest that campus safety concerns predominantly revolve around student conduct and behavioral enforcement rather than pervasive community violence. Families evaluating the campus environment can find reassurance in the low incidence of severe interpersonal offenses, while acknowledging routine oversight of alcohol and drug regulations.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni of University of La Verne include Anthony E. Zuiker (Creator of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Joseph Ashton (Former child actor, voice of Otto in Rocket Power) and Ross Mathews (Television host, known as Ross the Intern).

More alumni (7, by field)

Politics and law

Science and academia

Arts and media

  • David Nachmias 1966–

    Greek musician and pianist

Sports

  • Dan Graham 1954–

    Former MLB catcher for Twins and Orioles

Other fields

From Wikidata “educated at” records (including people who attended without graduating), ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions. Degrees and years follow Wikidata and are left out where it has none.

Recent News at University of La Verne

Summarized daily from the school's official news. Click "Source" for the original story.

1Updates in the past 12 months
Nov 9Latest update
LeadershipMost common topic
  1. New Leadership

    University of La Verne's 20th president, Risa E. Dickson, will be inaugurated Nov. 19 and names a stable, adaptable institution as her top priority.

    Source: laverne.edu

Related News

References and Data Sources

Data from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education), U.S. News, THE, QS, ARWU and Clery Act campus safety reports. Data insights are written by the Forward Pathway data team from public data.