Pepperdine University

For Fall 2025, 13,445 first-year students applied to Pepperdine, 9,331 were admitted and 999 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 69.4%.

Source: Pepperdine Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.

By school or major. Pepperdine's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for Seaver College as a whole, with no rate by division or major.

Source: Pepperdine Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early action and early decision. The Common Data Set gives no early decision or early action counts for Fall 2025; it notes that early decision took effect "with the fall 2026 applicant pool". So there is no early acceptance rate to show.

Source: Pepperdine Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

You apply to Seaver College, Pepperdine's undergraduate college, through the Common App. Some programs ask for more:

• Music and Theatre. A supplemental Fine Arts application in the Pepperdine Application Portal and two Fine Arts letters of recommendation. A live audition is required for Music majors and for Theatre majors in the Musical Theatre emphasis, and strongly recommended for other Theatre applicants. Audition days: October 31 (Zoom only) and November 14 for early applicants; January 16 (Zoom only) and January 30 for regular decision. The supplement is due at least 72 hours before your audition and by January 27.

  Source: Seaver College Fine Arts, Apply to Fine Arts (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

• Art. No portfolio is required for admission. An optional SlideRoom supplement and a portfolio review (November 5 or January 21) put you in line for additional scholarships.

  Source: Seaver College Fine Arts, Apply to Fine Arts (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

• Fine Arts and early decision. Fine Arts applicants are not eligible for Early Decision.

  Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, FAQ (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

• Nursing. Nursing applicants apply through the Common App by January 15, in Regular Decision only; early action and early decision exclude the nursing program.

  Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, FAQ (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

47 majors across 10 schools. Every bachelor's degree major in Pepperdine's official 2026-2027 Seaver College Academic Catalog, grouped by the division that offers it, plus the Nursing BSN from the College of Health Science. Minors, credentials, certificates and graduate programs are left out.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

The FAFSA is due November 1 for Early Action and Early Decision I, January 15 for Early Decision II and February 15 for Regular Decision. Admitted students enroll by February 1 (Early Decision I), March 1 (Early Decision II) or May 1 (Early Action and Regular Decision). Students admitted in Early Decision are guaranteed at least $25,000 in merit aid. Pepperdine's FAQ page still gives older decision dates (January 10 for the early plans, April 1 for Regular Decision); these are the Application Deadlines page's.

Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, Application Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early Decision is binding: if admitted, you must enroll at Pepperdine. You can apply early decision to only one college. You can apply early action to other colleges, but you must withdraw those applications if Pepperdine admits you. Early Action is nonbinding. If you are denied in Early Action or Early Decision, you cannot reapply in Regular Decision for the same term.

Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, FAQ (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

Pepperdine is test-optional: you receive the same consideration for admission whether or not you send SAT, ACT or CLT scores. Scores are required to be considered for the Regents Scholars Program scholarships. If you self-report scores, official scores are required when you enroll. The ACT science section is not required but is recommended for nursing applicants.

Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as not required for admission but considered if submitted, with scores due by January 15; its form asks about students applying for fall 2025.

Source: Pepperdine Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028

Not announced yet. When we checked Pepperdine's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.

Source: Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission, Application Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The published cost of a year at Pepperdine, 2026-2027:

For a first-year student living on campus, fall and spring.

Source: Pepperdine Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections G1 and G5. Read Oct 1, 2026.

Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:

What first-year, full-time students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from Pepperdine's aid offer.

Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Chosen for how close each is to Pepperdine University on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.

• ULV
  University of La VerneLa Verne, CA · Private71.2% admitted$20,161 average net price
• University of the PacificStockton, CA · Private69.1% admitted$25,447 average net price
• Chapman UniversityOrange, CA · Private72.1% admitted$46,555 average net price
• University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA · Private61.7% admitted$41,431 average net price
• Simmons UniversityBoston, MA · Private70% admitted$25,265 average net price

Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.