University of the Pacific: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
San Diego, California · Private nonprofit · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of the Pacific is a private nonprofit university in San Diego, California that admits about 82% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $50,168 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of the Pacific is a private institution located in San Diego, California. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of the Pacific admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 82%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1278 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $50,168 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of the Pacific is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of the Pacific?
University of the Pacific has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores University of the Pacific typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 550–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–30. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1278 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| 25th percentile | 22 |
| 50th percentile | 26 |
| 75th percentile | 30 |
How much does University of the Pacific actually cost?
Published tuition is $43,550 for in-state students and $43,550 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,850 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $50,168 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| Average net price (after aid) | $50,168 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of the Pacific
Most popular majors at University of the Pacific
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of the Pacific, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. Across all programs, University of the Pacific confers roughly 592 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $108,557 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 137 | $108,557 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 115 | $55,709 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 95 | $55,127 |
| Psychology, General | 67 | $46,959 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 59 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 42 | $67,791 |
| Biology, General | 40 | $50,216 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 37 | — |
Is University of the Pacific safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of the Pacific disclosed 7 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 1 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- Stanford University4% acceptance
- University of California-Berkeley12% acceptance
- University of California-Los Angeles9% acceptance
- University of Southern California10% acceptance
- University of California-Davis42% acceptance
- University of California-Irvine26% acceptance
- University of California-San Diego25% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Barbara63% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of the Pacific
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of the Pacific recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of the Pacific
What GPA do I need for University of the Pacific?
University of the Pacific has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of the Pacific typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 550–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–30.
How much does University of the Pacific actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of the Pacific after grants and scholarships is $50,168 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of the Pacific realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of the Pacific is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of the Pacific?
University of the Pacific accepts about 82% of applicants. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of the Pacific a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of the Pacific is a private nonprofit institution located in San Diego, California.
What are the most popular majors at University of the Pacific?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of the Pacific by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. The school awards about 592 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of the Pacific safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of the Pacific reported 7 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of the Pacific, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.