Pepperdine University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Pepperdine University is a private research university with an acceptance rate of 31%. Located in Malibu, California, Pepperdine's 830-acre campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The university is affiliated with Churches of Christ, although students come from a wide range of religious backgrounds. Pepperdine is made up of five different schools with the majority of undergraduate programs housed in the Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. Business Administration is by far the most popular undergraduate major, followed by programs in communications and media. In athletics, the Pepperdine Waves compete in the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference.

Considering applying to Pepperdine University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Pepperdine University had an acceptance rate of 31%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 31 students were admitted, making Pepperdine's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Pepperdine requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 68% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Pepperdine's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Pepperdine scored between 610 and 690, while 25% scored below 610 and 25% scored above 690. On the math section, 50% of admitted student scored between 610 and 730, while 25% scored below 610 and 25% scored above 730. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1420 or greater will have particularly competitive chances at Pepperdine University.

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Requirements

Pepperdine does not require the optional SAT essay section or SAT Subject tests. Note that Pepperdine participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Pepperdine University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 47% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Pepperdine's admitted students fall within the top 12% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Pepperdine received a composite ACT score between 28 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 28.

Requirements

Unlike many universities, Pepperdine superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from each different ACT section will be considered. Pepperdine does not require the optional ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the middle 50% of Pepperdine University's incoming class had high school GPAs between 3.64 and 3.97. 25% had a GPA above 3.97, and 25% had a GPA below 3.64. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Pepperdine have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Pepperdine University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Pepperdine University has a competitive admissions process with a low acceptance rate and high average SAT/ACT scores. However, Pepperdine has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. Strong application essays and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside of Pepperdine's average range.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school grades in the "A" range, combined SAT scores of 1200 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 25 or better. The higher those grades and test scores, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance from Pepperdine.

Note that there are quite a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the middle of the graph. Many students with grades and test scores that were on target for Pepperdine University did not get in. On the flip side, note that some students were accepted with test scores and grades a little bit below the norm. This is because Pepperdine's admissions process is both qualitative and quantitative.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Pepperdine University's Undergraduate Admissions Office.