California Lutheran University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. solid earnings of $60,200 within 10 years; financial aid brings net price below sticker.
About This School
California Lutheran University is a private nonprofit institution located in Thousand Oaks, California with approximately 2,296 undergraduate students enrolled. California Lutheran University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 76%. The average net price after financial aid is $30,109 per year. The graduation rate is 70%, and the typical graduate earns $60,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
California Lutheran University is a private university in Thousand Oaks, California, United States. It was founded in 1959 and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, but is nonsectarian. It opened in 1960 as California Lutheran College and was California's first four-year liberal arts college and the first four-year private college in Ventura County. It changed its name to California Lutheran University on January 1, 1986.
Located in the comfortable suburbs of Thousand Oaks, this small Lutheran-affiliated university offers a genuinely accessible path to a degree — an 89% acceptance rate and median debt of just $18,970 make it a financially reasonable choice for many families. The $60,200 median earnings at 10 years are decent but not exceptional, so it's best suited for students drawn to specific strong programs rather than those betting on a name-brand return on investment. The 74% graduation rate is worth watching — roughly 1 in 4 students doesn't finish, so if you're someone who needs strong academic support or community, visit campus and ask hard questions about what resources are actually in place.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 10% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2,296 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in California
California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA · Public
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · Public
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · Public
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Public
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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