Pepperdine University
CA · Private · West · National university · Top 100 tier · 3,553 undergraduates (small)
Admission rates
Latest admit rates
† Not reported by round: this school publishes an overall admit rate but not applicant and admit counts for each round, so early and regular rates can’t be shown.
Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2024
Admission rates
Early plans
Fall 2027 applicants
Testing
Testing policy
Superscoring
What this means:
- SAT
- Superscores
- ACT
- Superscores
Source ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026
Test-optional for fall 2027 entry. Send results from every sitting. Optional sections are excluded.
How to send scores
Self-report accepted; official scores only after admission/enrollment
Send all scores? Requested
School’s words: “If test scores are self-reported at the time of application, official test scores will be required upon enrollment at Pepperdine. ... It is therefore to your advantage to send our office the results from each time you took the test.”
Source 1 ↗ · Source 2 ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026
Students submitting scores
‡ Est. % submitting scores adds the share of enrolled first-years who submitted the SAT to the share who submitted the ACT.
Score ranges (middle 50%)
Enrolled first-years who submitted scores, Fall 2024. A quarter scored below the range and a quarter above.
Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2024
Share of enrolled students submitting scores
SAT composite, middle 50%
ACT composite, middle 50%
Year-by-year data, Fall 2019–Fall 2024
| CDS year | Admitted | Admit rate | ED rate | ED share of class | Est. % submitting | % SAT | % ACT | SAT mid-50 | ACT mid-50 | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 4,049 | 31.7% | Not reported | Not reported | 100% | 69% | 41% | 1250-1430 | 27-32 | ||
| 2020-21 | 4,925 | 41.9% | Not reported | Not reported | 100% | 70% | 38% | 1210-1390 | 26-31 | ||
| 2021-22 | 6,249 | 52.7% | Not reported | Not reported | 22% | 19% | 3% | 1280-1430 | 25-30 | ||
| 2022-23 | 5,585 | 48.7% | Not reported | Not reported | 29% | 16% | 13% | 1290-1460 | 28-32 | ||
| 2023-24 | 6,210 | 49.9% | Not reported | Not reported | 21% | 14% | 7% | 1250-1440 | 26-32 | ||
| 2024-25 | 7,245 | 62.9% | Not reported | Not reported | 28% | 18% | 10% | 1300-1440 | 29-32 | ||
| 2025-26 | Common Data Set not found online | ||||||||||
Waitlist admit rate
Share of students who stayed on the waitlist and were later admitted, by entering class.
- 2024: 99%
- 2023: 73%
- 2022: 0%
- 2021: 0%
- 2020: 44%
Test policy in each Common Data Set
History only. The current policy is under Testing above.
- Fall 2027 CDS not available2025-26 CDS
- Fall 2026 Test-optional2024-25 CDSThis form’s own wording says Fall 2025; every CDS here is read as covering the fall two years after its first year.
- Fall 2025 Test-optional2023-24 CDS
- Fall 2024 Test-optional2022-23 CDSThis form’s own wording says Fall 2023; every CDS here is read as covering the fall two years after its first year.
- Fall 2023 Test-optional2021-22 CDS
- Fall 2022 Test-optional2020-21 CDS
- Fall 2021 Required2019-20 CDSAs the school reported it. Not borne out: in the class that entered Fall 2021, 19% submitted SAT and 3% ACT (2021-22 CDS).
Notes
- This Common Data Set's test-policy question covers Fall 2025 applicants.