Private Nonprofit Graduate Strong 80/100

Pacific Oaks College

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

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Pasadena, California

About Pacific Oaks College

Thinking about Pacific Oaks College, a college in California where more students graduate in Education 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 Oaks College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Pasadena, California. It enrolls 312 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
34.4%
Graduation
71.4%
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$52,485
Enrollment
312
Student : Faculty
3:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Strong
80/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes —
Value —
Affordability 90
Selectivity 92

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Pacific Oaks College admits 34.4% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.

Acceptance Rate
34.4%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized 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 Pacific Oaks College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↑ 4.9 pts since 2019
5.1%201926.7%202013%202120%202210%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. Pacific Oaks College has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
57%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
74%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$32,520
Room & Board (off-campus)
$19,185
Books & Supplies
$2,099
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,868

Application fee: $55 (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.

$5,500
10% percentile
$11,250
25% percentile
$29,105
Median percentile
$26,250
75% percentile
$32,500
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 $23,500 ↓ $5,605
No Pell $23,169 ↓ $5,936
Dependent students $14,375 ↓ $14,730
Independent students $24,507 ↓ $4,598
Female students $23,570 ↓ $5,535
Male students $21,250 ↓ $7,855
Pell recipients: 18.0% (5,246 students)No Pell: 17.8% (5,172 students)Dependent students: 11.0% (3,209 students)Independent students: 18.8% (5,471 students)Female students: 18.1% (5,262 students)Male students: 16.3% (4,744 students)Overall Median$29,105
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $12,500, less than completers ($29,105), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

71% of students who start here finish within six years. 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
71%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $52,485 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$52,485
Earning > $25K
76%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$47,000$49,000$50,000$52,000$53,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

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 ↑ 18.2 pts across 6 years
43.7%1yr50.5%3yr51.7%5yr61.9%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 62% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 312 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 58% are the first in their family to go to college, and 100% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
312
Part-Time
100%
First-Generation
58%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 49.7% 155
White 20.8% 65
Black 15.7% 49
Other 4.5% 14
Asian 2.2% 7
International 1.0% 3
Hispanic: 49.7% (155 students)White: 20.8% (65 students)Black: 15.7% (49 students)Other: 4.5% (14 students)Asian: 2.2% (7 students)International: 1.0% (3 students)Total312

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Pasadena, California
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
89% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Family & Consumer Sciences graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Pacific Oaks College offers a varied set of programs: 10 distinct programs across 6 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.

1 Program
2 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 3 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
3:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$22M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$57,409
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

20 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 20 100% $57,409

Pros & Cons of Pacific Oaks College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Pacific Oaks 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
  • Above-average graduation rate
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Selective admissions, solid academic profile expected
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Higher than typical student debt at graduation
  • Most students take on federal loans
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for: Based on the data, Pacific Oaks College is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pacific Oaks College

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

Is Pacific Oaks College hard to get into?
Pacific Oaks College is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 34.4%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Pacific Oaks College?
34.4% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pacific Oaks College known for?
Mostly Teacher Education (K-12), Mental Health Services, Human Development. 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 Oaks College graduates earn?
About $52,485 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 Oaks College accredited?
Yes. Pacific Oaks College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Pacific Oaks College?
312 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 Oaks College?
71% 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 Pacific Oaks College 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 Pacific Oaks College located?
Pacific Oaks College is located in Pasadena, California.
What programs does Pacific Oaks College offer?
10 different programs, most commonly Teacher Education (K-12), Mental Health Services, Human Development. 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 Oaks College?
3 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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