La Sierra University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Riverside, California. It enrolls 1,116 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.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
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.
Fair
54/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes59
Value4
Affordability41
Selectivity30
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
La Sierra University admits 91.5% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
91.5%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether La Sierra University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
38.1 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 $45,566 a year on average, it sits above what private nonprofit 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
$37,710
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,431
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,446
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,933
Total Cost of Attendance
$51,459
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$44,988
$30,001 – $48,000
$44,593
$48,001 – $75,000
$45,518
$75,001 – $110,000
$47,266
Over $110,000
$45,999
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.
$3,66810%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$31,00075%percentile
$42,66690%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 $21,500
↓ $5,500
No Pell $13,334
↓ $13,666
Dependent students $18,042
↓ $8,958
Independent students $24,781
↓ $2,219
Female students $18,797
↓ $8,203
Male students $18,500
↓ $8,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,349, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
32% of students who start here finish within six years, and 80% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. 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
32%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
80%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $61,824 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$61,824
Earning > $25K
82%
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 Gender
Female graduates
$51,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$60,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$50,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$52,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$62,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,200, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
16.4 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: 1,116 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 40% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,116
Part-Time
5%
First-Generation
40%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 53.9%602
Asian 14.8%165
White 8.9%99
Other 8.4%94
Black 7.2%80
International 6.5%72
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at La Sierra University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
La Sierra University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
57 distinct programs across
18 majors.
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 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$181M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$73,616
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
91 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
26
29%
$85,982
Associate Professors
33
36%
$70,717
Assistant Professors
26
29%
$64,727
Lecturers
6
7%
$74,493
Pros & Cons of La Sierra University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where La Sierra University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Best for:
Based on the data, La Sierra University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about La Sierra University
The questions families ask most about La Sierra University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is La Sierra University hard to get into?
Not especially. La Sierra University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 91.5%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at La Sierra University?
91.5% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does La Sierra University cost?
Budget around $45,566 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 La Sierra University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $61,824 a year against a net price of $45,566, about 1.4 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 La Sierra University known for?
Mostly Criminal Justice, Health/Medical Preparatory, Counseling Education. 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 La Sierra University graduates earn?
About $61,824 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 La Sierra University accredited?
Yes. La Sierra University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend La Sierra University?
1,116 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 La Sierra University?
32% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is La Sierra University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is La Sierra University located?
La Sierra University is located in Riverside, California.
What programs does La Sierra University offer?
57 different programs, most commonly Criminal Justice, Health/Medical Preparatory, Counseling Education. 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 La Sierra University?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in California
Other colleges in California share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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