Chamberlain University-California is a private for-profit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Rancho Cordova, California. It enrolls 751 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes100
Value43
Affordability30
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Chamberlain University-California admits 80% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
80%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Chamberlain University-California is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
43.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $36,559 a year on average, it sits above what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$21,271
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,772
Books & Supplies
$400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,548
Total Cost of Attendance
$37,232
Application fee: $95 (one-time, due at submission)
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,28810%percentile
$10,16925%percentile
$20,919Medianpercentile
$27,50075%percentile
$40,12590%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $16,750
↓ $4,169
No Pell $16,125
↓ $4,794
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $1,419
Independent students $16,125
↓ $4,794
Female students $16,411
↓ $4,508
Male students $16,657
↓ $4,262
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,922, less than completers ($20,919), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
50% of students who start here finish within six years, and 100% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
50%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
100%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $92,405 a year, well above the national median. Strong earnings, though the field studied drives much of that. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$92,405
Earning > $25K
92%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$46,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$63,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$67,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
11.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 751 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college, and 60% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
751
Part-Time
60%
First-Generation
47%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Asian 32.6%245
White 30.6%230
Hispanic 26.1%196
Black 5.3%40
Other 2.3%17
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Chamberlain University-California. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityRancho Cordova, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
62%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Branch campus
What You Can Study
Chamberlain University-California offers
a focused set of programs:
1 distinct programs across
1 major.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 8 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
8:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Pros & Cons of Chamberlain University-California
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Chamberlain University-California is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Chamberlain University-California is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chamberlain University-California
The questions families ask most about Chamberlain University-California, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Chamberlain University-California hard to get into?
Not especially. Chamberlain University-California admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 80%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Chamberlain University-California?
80% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Chamberlain University-California cost?
Budget around $36,559 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Chamberlain University-California worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $92,405 a year against a net price of $36,559, about 2.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Chamberlain University-California known for?
Mostly Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Chamberlain University-California graduates earn?
About $92,405 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Chamberlain University-California accredited?
Yes. Chamberlain University-California is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Chamberlain University-California?
751 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Chamberlain University-California?
50% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Chamberlain University-California a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Chamberlain University-California located?
Chamberlain University-California is located in Rancho Cordova, California.
What programs does Chamberlain University-California offer?
1 different programs, most commonly Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Chamberlain University-California?
8 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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