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.

Private nonprofitLarge · 22,688 undergradsMidsize cityNear the coast

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
To the ocean
22 miles

How University of the People compares

Graduation rate34%

Higher than 15% · #108 of 122 in California

Student–faculty ratio28 : 1

Lower than 3%

Undergraduate enrollment22,688

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

27,748students
  • 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.

76%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$962
average award, among those who get one

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

HighLow
40°70°100°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.65.2JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pasadena, CA US station (0.4 mi from campus).

Colleges near University of the People

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.