Cost, debt & salary

Is Pepperdine University worth it? What it costs, and what graduates earn

You would borrow a median $23,510 — about $267 a month for ten years. Graduates earn a median $82,939 ten years after starting, so the debt clears in roughly 0.5 years of the salary premium.

A

Is it worth the money?

Yes — on the federal figures this is one of the fastest-paying degrees in the country.

You borrow $23,510 median federal debt at graduation
You repay $267/mo standard 10-year federal plan
You earn $82,939 median, 10 years after entry · beats 92%
Debt clears in 0.5 yrs ranked 104 of 810

What that feels like each month Repayment against the salary that has to cover it.

Gross monthly pay
$6,912
Loan repayment
$267
Share of your pay
3.9%
0%15% — the comfort line25%

Under roughly 15% of gross pay, repayment is generally considered manageable alongside rent and living costs.

Cut the debt before you borrow it

We do not list an award tied specifically to Pepperdine University yet — but national, country and subject scholarships still apply to students heading there, and each one cuts the $23,510 above.

Browse scholarships for the USA →

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How Pepperdine University compares Against the 810 US universities we grade on payback.

The typical graded university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt. Pepperdine University clears its debt faster than that, and its graduates earn $43,419 a year more than a US worker with only a high-school diploma.

Nearby universityGradeDebtEarningsPayback
San Francisco State University California A $15,371 $68,077 0.5 yrs
Pitzer College California A $16,750 $69,512 0.6 yrs
California State University, Long Beach California A $14,289 $64,403 0.6 yrs
California State University, Stanislaus California A $13,540 $63,188 0.6 yrs
Loyola Marymount University California A $19,500 $78,349 0.5 yrs

Pepperdine University — the money questions

How much do graduates of Pepperdine University earn?
Median earnings are $82,939 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled — from tax records, not a survey. That is higher than 92% of the US universities we hold figures for.
How much debt will I have at Pepperdine University?
The median graduate leaves with $23,510 of federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $267 a month — roughly 3.9% of the median graduate's monthly pay before tax.
How long does a degree from Pepperdine University take to pay for itself?
About 0.5 years of the salary premium — the amount graduates earn above the $39,520 a US worker with only a high-school diploma makes. That ranks it 104 of 810 US universities we grade on payback.
Can scholarships reduce this debt?
We do not currently list a scholarship tied specifically to Pepperdine University, but national and subject-based awards still apply — start from our scholarships listing.
Do these numbers apply to my subject?
No. The Department of Education publishes one figure per institution, so nursing, engineering and fine art students at Pepperdine University all sit inside the same median. Treat it as the size of the financial risk, not a salary forecast for your course.
Pepperdine University profile Programmes at Pepperdine University Pepperdine University scholarships Pepperdine University review & grade Compare with San Francisco State University Payback across California What Pepperdine University costs Student loan record SAT scores & admission Fastest-paying US degrees Lowest student debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — earnings and debt cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject taught at the institution. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026. This page is information, not financial advice.