Pepperdine Demographics & Diversity

8/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
Malibu, CA
3.8 4 reviews

#14 Best Private Colleges in California

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Racial Demographics & Diversity

Racial Diversity

High

Racial Diversity Index: 70%

Racial diversity is the chance that two students chosen at random are from different racial or ethnic groups, using the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index. Students at Pepperdine are predominantly White with a smaller Hispanic population. The school has high racial diversity. 53% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.

Racial demographics of Pepperdine University students
Race	Percent of Students
White	47%
Black	6%
Hispanic	16%
Asian	12%
American Indian / Alaskan	0%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	0%
Two or more races	5%
International	10%
Race Unknown	4%

Gender Demographics & Diversity

Gender Diversity

Very High

Gender Diversity Index: 44%

There are 101% more female students than male students enrolled at Pepperdine University with a gender ratio of 67% women to 33% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, Pepperdine has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.

Male to female gender ratio for Pepperdine University students
Gender	Percent of Students
Men	33%
Women	67%

Enrollment by gender for Pepperdine University students
Gender	Number of Students
Men	2,983
Women	5,993

Geographic Diversity

Low

Geographic Diversity Index: 48%

Pepperdine draws 51 percent of students from California, 38 percent from other states, and 10 percent from other countries. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside California, including other U.S. states and other countries.

Enrollment by geographic location for Pepperdine University students
Origin	Percent of Students
In State	51%
Out of State	38%
Foreign	10%
Unknown Location	0%

Economic Diversity

Median Household Income

$79,068 per year

20% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment

8,976

Share of undergraduates by age and part-time status
Segment	Percent of Students
Students Over 25 Years Old	7.1%
Part-time undergraduates	8.4%

Davis, California

Public 4 Year

University of California Riverside

Riverside, California

Public 4 Year

Wheaton College

Wheaton, Illinois

Private 4 Year

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=121150.

Racial and gender diversity ratings use the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index (Gini-Simpson): the probability that two students chosen at random belong to different groups. See the Census method note, Measuring Racial and Ethnic Diversity for the 2020 Census. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside the college's home state (other U.S. states plus international). IPEDS does not publish enrollment by individual state of residence.

Last updated: August 2026