California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California · Private · 2,296 undergraduates · callutheran.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
76%
of 6,044 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1100 to 1320
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$82,400Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at California Lutheran University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
76% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$82,400
a year in 2027-28, from a $82,400 sticker price
What to do with your 1210
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1210).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Test-Optional Policy - Undergraduate Admission | Cal Lutheran · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Action · November 15, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
76%
of applicants were admitted: 4,612 of 6,044 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 1/15, hear by 11/1.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 11% of them sent SAT scores and 2% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1100 to 1320
Reading and Writing 590 to 670
Math 520 to 680
ACT composite 23 to 30
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16004%
- 1200 to 139950%
- 1000 to 119942%
- 800 to 9994%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.68
- 4.030%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7420%
- 3.25 to 3.4914%
- 3.00 to 3.2411%
- 2.50 to 2.993%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$82,400
a year
- Tuition$55,800
- Fees$860
- Food and housing$18,960
- Books and supplies$1,210
- Transportation and other$5,570
California Lutheran University published $79,227 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$22,204
- $30,001 to $48,000$19,836
- $48,001 to $75,000$20,665
- $75,001 to $110,000$24,034
- Over $110,000$34,186
Financial aid
77%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$43,947
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
27%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $33,971 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid deadline: 3/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
29 of 29
Earn credit with a score of 3
7 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $5,580Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Art Elective (major) & IDEAS Creative Arts |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Art 160 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | Art 111 |
| Biology | 3 | Exempt from Natural Science requirement | |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | Bio 111 or 121 |
| Biology | 5 | 6 | Bio 120, 121 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 0 | Exempt from IDEAS Math |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | Math 251 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 0 | Exempt from IDEAS Math |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | Math 251, 252 |
| Chemistry | 3 | Exempt from Natural Science requirement | |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | Chem 151, 151L |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PoliSci 102 or 222 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CSC 110 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSC 210 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 160 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | ENGL 110 | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 111 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | ENGL 110 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | IDEAS Humanities - English |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | EES 152, 152L |
| European History | 4 | Exempt one IDEAS Humanities - History | |
| European History | 5 | 3 | Hist 102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | Exempt from French 101 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | French 101 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | Exempt from Foreign Language Requirement | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | Except from For. Lang. reg. & credit in 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | GERM 101, GERM 102 |
| Human Geography | 3 | Exempt from social science | |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | One Social Science Course |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | Exempt from 1st semester | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | 1ST SEMESTER LANGAUGE |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | Exempt from 1st semester | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | 1st Semester Language |
| Latin | 4 | 4 | Exempt from For. Lang. req. |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | Econ 201 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | Econ 200 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | Physics 212 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | Physics 211 |
| Psychology | 3 | Exempt from Psych 200 | |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | Psych 200 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | Exempt from Spanish 101 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | Spanish 101 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | IDEAS Math Course |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | POLS 102 or POLS 222 (major) |
| United States History | 4 | Exempt IDEAS History | |
| United States History | 5 | 3 | Hist 121 or 122 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
69%
Come back for a second year
79%
Typical earnings
$77,620
a year, 10 years after starting here
- California Lutheran University$85,930
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 14 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with California Lutheran University. The California Lutheran University logo is a trademark of the college.