Private nonprofit · University
University of the People
Pasadena, California · Midsize city
- —
- Admit rate
- —
- Avg net price
- 34%
- Graduation rate
- —
- Median earnings
University of the People is a private nonprofit bachelor's-granting institution in Pasadena, California (midsize city setting), enrolling 22,688 undergraduates. Programs are offered entirely online.
About Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The earliest known inhabitants of present-day Pasadena and its surroundings were members of the Hahamog-na tribe, a branch of the Tongva Nation. They spoke the Tongva language, belonging to the Northern subfamily of the Uto-Aztecan language group. Pasadena is home to the Tournament of Roses Parade, held each year on January 1 (or on January 2, if the 1st falls on a Sunday). The first parade was held in 1890 and was originally sponsored by the Valley Hunt Club, a Pasadena social club. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Midsize city
- Highest degree offered
- Graduate
- Nearest big city
- 9 miles to Los Angeles, CA
- To the ocean
- 22 miles
How University of the People compares
Higher than 15% · #108 of 122 in California
Lower than 3%
Larger than 96%
Percentiles compare University of the People with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.
Student body
Undergraduate vs. graduate
- Undergraduate22,68882%
- Graduate5,06018%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White4.7%
- Black2.6%
- Hispanic2.7%
- Asian1.6%
- Other or multiracial89%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 22,688
- Graduate enrollment
- 5,060
- Student–faculty ratio
- 28 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 0%
- First-generation students
- —
- Students over 25
- 73%
- Endowment
- $1,563,258
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $1,400
- Room & board
- —
- Books & supplies
- $0
- Total cost of attendance
- —
- Average net price
- —
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated (within 6 years)
- 34%
- Graduated on time (4 years)
- 17%
- First-year retention
- —
- Transferred to another college
- 1%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- —
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- —
- Median debt at graduation
- —
- Students with federal loans
- 0%
About 17% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- No
- Application fee
- $60
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.
Modest institutional aid: 76% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $962. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.
Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,450 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 91°F
- Winter low
- 45°F
- Annual rain
- 20.1″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pasadena, CA US station (0.4 mi from campus).
Colleges near University of the People
Institute of Culinary Education
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Fuller Theological Seminary
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Providence Christian College
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Paul Mitchell the School-Pasadena
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California College of Music
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Los Angeles College of Music
Pasadena, CA · Private for-profit · Bachelor's · 227 students
Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 312 students
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 987 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.







