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Biola University: 6306-BiolaCollegeEntrance
Photo: EditorASC, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Biola University

  • LocationLa Mirada, CA
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 5,296 students

Affiliation: Undenominational

Official website

Biola University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

Biola University is a private Christian university in La Mirada, California. Its official clubs list includes a Newman Club for Catholic students.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Biola University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches1 mi2 mi3 miSaint Linus Catholic Church: 2.4 mi1Saint Bruno Catholic Church: 2.5 mi2Biola University (campus)N1 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Saint Linus Catholic Church — 2.4 mi · 13915 Shoemaker Avenue, Norwalk
  2. Saint Bruno Catholic Church — 2.5 mi

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ACatholic life on campus: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Catholic life on campus

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes (Newman Club: Catholics at Biola is listed on the university's official clubs page.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Clubs | Office of Campus Engagement | Biola Universitybiola.edu/campus-engagement/clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Newman Club: Catholics at Biola The purpose of the Newman Club is to provide social and spiritual support to Catholic students, an often lonely minority group at Biola, so that Catholics feel nurtured and equipped to be authentic in our expression of faith and relationship to Christ.”
      The university's official clubs list includes a Newman Club for Catholic students.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (The Newman Club is the only Catholic student group found on the university's pages.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Clubs | Office of Campus Engagement | Biola Universitybiola.edu/campus-engagement/clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Newman Club: Catholics at Biola The purpose of the Newman Club is to provide social and spiritual support to Catholic students, an often lonely minority group at Biola, so that Catholics feel nurtured and equipped to be authentic in our expression of faith and relationship to Christ.”
      The university's official clubs list includes a Newman Club for Catholic students.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 3 milesComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adorationNot enough information: no verified Mass times are recorded.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • A Newman Club for Catholic students is listed among the university's official student clubs.
    Sources (1)
    1. Clubs | Office of Campus Engagement | Biola Universitybiola.edu/campus-engagement/clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Newman Club: Catholics at Biola The purpose of the Newman Club is to provide social and spiritual support to Catholic students, an often lonely minority group at Biola, so that Catholics feel nurtured and equipped to be authentic in our expression of faith and relationship to Christ.”
      The university's official clubs list includes a Newman Club for Catholic students.

Concerns

None recorded.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

Catholic clubs and student life

1 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 1 location not published

Clubs and groups 1

  • Newman Club: Catholics at Biola
    Student club that provides social and spiritual support to Catholic students, according to the university's clubs page.
    biola.edu

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (1)
  1. Clubs | Office of Campus Engagement | Biola Universitybiola.edu/campus-engagement/clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Newman Club: Catholics at Biola The purpose of the Newman Club is to provide social and spiritual support to Catholic students, an often lonely minority group at Biola, so that Catholics feel nurtured and equipped to be authentic in our expression of faith and relationship to Christ.”
    The university's official clubs list includes a Newman Club for Catholic students.

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Academic Excellence

BAcademic Excellence: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
74 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.68%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,261 · ACT 26.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,866

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
3,395
Total students5,296
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$31,495
Cost of attendance (per year)$62,757
Median federal debt at graduation$23,875
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
68%
First-year retention84%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$56,778
Admission rate74%
Students receiving Pell grants26%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1261
SAT reading & writing600–700
SAT math560–670
ACT composite24–29
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 49 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Archdiocese of Los Angeles

The Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: lacatholics.org, lacatholics.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

  • IPEDS unit ID 110097
  • Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
  • Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
  • Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Undenominational
  • Report an error or a newer source
  • Respond as this school

Questions families ask

Is Biola University a Catholic college?
No. Biola University is not a Catholic college. Its listed religious affiliation is Undenominational. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by Newman Club: Catholics at Biola.

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