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Point Loma Nazarene University: Point Loma Nazarene's Golden Gym
Photo: Greenstrat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Point Loma Nazarene University

  • LocationSan Diego, CA
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 4,494 students

Affiliation: Church of the Nazarene

Official website

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

Point Loma Nazarene University is part of the Church of the Nazarene and requires chapel attendance for traditional undergraduates.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Point Loma Nazarene University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches1 mi2 mi3 miSaint Agnes Catholic Church: 1.0 mi1Sacred Heart Catholic Church: 2.0 mi2Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church: 3.0 mi3Point Loma Nazarene University (campus)N1 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Saint Agnes Catholic Church — 1.0 mi · 1140 Evergreen Street, San Diego
  2. Sacred Heart Catholic Church — 2.0 mi · 4776 Saratoga Avenue, San Diego
  3. Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church — 3.0 mi · 2802 Cadiz Street, San Diego

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.

  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
  • Not enough information: Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: 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: 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: 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.

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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.
81 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.77%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,287 · ACT 28.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,365

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))

Campus facts

SportsNCAA Division II · Pacific West Conference
SettingCity
ROTCArmy · Navy · Air Force
Study abroadOffered
Students per faculty member13 to 1

Federal data (IPEDS). None of this changes the faith grades.

Cost and value

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

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
3,158
Total students4,494
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$38,729
Cost of attendance (per year)$60,488
Median federal debt at graduation$22,990
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
77%
First-year retention86%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$63,998
Admission rate84%
Students receiving Pell grants21%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1287
SAT reading & writing610–695
SAT math565–670
ACT composite25–32
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 55 / 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

Diocese of San Diego

The Most Reverend Michael Pham, Bishop of San Diego

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: usccb.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 121309
  • Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
  • Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
  • Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Church of the Nazarene
  • Report an error or a newer source
  • Respond as this school

Questions families ask

Is Point Loma Nazarene University a Catholic college?
No. Point Loma Nazarene University is not a Catholic college. Its listed religious affiliation is Church of the Nazarene. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.

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