Private For-Profit Graduate Good 65/100

Pacific College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Costa Mesa, California

About Pacific College

Thinking about Pacific College, a college in California where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Pacific College is a private for-profit institution offering graduate degrees based in Costa Mesa, California. It enrolls 225 students (a very small, intimate 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.

Acceptance
56%
Graduation
83.6%
Net Price
$29,363
Median Earnings (10yr)
$70,064
Enrollment
225
Student : Faculty
7:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic Calendar Differs by Program

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.

Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 60
Value 37
Affordability 27
Selectivity 79

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Pacific College admits 56% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
56%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants 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 Pacific College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 15.5 pts since 2019
65.5%201938.5%202071.4%202133.3%202250%2023

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 $29,363 a year on average, it sits in line with what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$29,363
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
44%
Borrowing to attend

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.

$5,500
10% percentile
$12,500
25% percentile
$22,469
Median percentile
$20,000
75% percentile
$25,949
90% 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 $20,000 ↓ $2,469
No Pell $25,469 ↑ $3,000
Dependent students $15,386 ↓ $7,083
Independent students $22,466 —
Female students $21,117 ↓ $1,352
Male students $16,428 ↓ $6,041
Pell recipients: 16.5% (3,718 students)No Pell: 21.1% (4,735 students)Dependent students: 12.7% (2,860 students)Independent students: 18.6% (4,176 students)Female students: 17.5% (3,926 students)Male students: 13.6% (3,054 students)Overall Median$22,469
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($22,469), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

84% of students who start here finish within six years. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. 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
84%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means: Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $70,064 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$70,064
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$62,000$64,000$66,000$69,000$71,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$48,300

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$50,700

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

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.

Stable ↑ 4.7 pts across 6 years
51.2%1yr55.3%3yr57.8%5yr55.9%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 56% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 225 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 63% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
225
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
63%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 46.7% 105
Asian 15.1% 34
Black 14.7% 33
White 11.6% 26
Other 6.2% 14
International 0.4% 1
Hispanic: 46.7% (105 students)Asian: 15.1% (34 students)Black: 14.7% (33 students)White: 11.6% (26 students)Other: 6.2% (14 students)International: 0.4% (1 students)Total225

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Pacific College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Costa Mesa, California
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
86% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Differs by Program scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Pacific College offers a focused set of programs: 6 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.

6 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 7 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$67,682
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

11 instructional faculty across 1 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
No Rank 11 100% $67,682

Pros & Cons of Pacific College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Pacific College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Strong six-year graduation rate
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
  • For-profit institution, verify accreditation and outcomes carefully
Best for: Based on the data, Pacific College is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pacific College

The questions families ask most about Pacific College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Pacific College hard to get into?
Admissions at Pacific College are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 56%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Pacific College?
56% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Pacific College cost?
Budget around $29,363 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 Pacific College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $70,064 a year against a net price of $29,363, about 2.4 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 Pacific College known for?
Mostly Nursing, Practical Nursing, 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 Pacific College graduates earn?
About $70,064 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 Pacific College accredited?
Yes. Pacific College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Pacific College?
225 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 Pacific College?
84% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Pacific College 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 Pacific College located?
Pacific College is located in Costa Mesa, California.
What programs does Pacific College offer?
6 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Practical Nursing, 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 Pacific College?
7 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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