California Lutheran University Average GPA & Admissions

Thousand Oaks, CA · Private · 4-year

  • Acceptance rate: 76% for fall 2024
  • Average high school GPA: 3.74, as reported by the college for 2024–25
  • SAT, middle 50%: 590–670 reading and writing, 560–660 math
  • ACT, middle 50%: 24–31 composite
  • Average net price: $27,080 a year (2022–23)
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Type your GPA to compare it with what California Lutheran University reported: an average GPA of 3.74 (2024–25), an acceptance rate of 76% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 24–31.

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A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. California Lutheran University reviews each application.

California Lutheran University average GPA

California Lutheran University reported an average high school GPA of 3.74 for its first-year students, in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.

How their high school GPAs were spread:

High school GPAShare of first-year students
4.0
14.1%
3.75–3.99
28.7%
3.50–3.74
26.9%
3.25–3.49
16.2%
3.00–3.24
10.9%
2.50–2.99
3.2%
First-year students who submitted a high school GPA, as California Lutheran University reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. None had a GPA below 2.50. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.

California Lutheran University acceptance rate

California Lutheran University admitted 4,544 of 6,005 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 76%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

California Lutheran University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Thousand Oaks, California, with 2,297 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered California Lutheran University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test25th percentileMedian75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing590650670
SAT Math560620660
ACT Composite242631
ACT English242630
ACT Math222626
13% submitted SAT scores and 3% submitted ACT scores, as California Lutheran University reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1266 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What California Lutheran University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factorStatus
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.Required
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.Required
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.Required
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.Required
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.Considered if submitted
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.Not considered
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.Not considered
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.Not considered
Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with California Lutheran University's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

California Lutheran University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $27,080 a year at California Lutheran University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

Can a 3.5 GPA get you into California Lutheran University?

It would be within the usual range there: 30.3% of California Lutheran University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.5, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set, and it admitted 76% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.

What are California Lutheran University's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of California Lutheran University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 590–670 in reading and writing and 560–660 in math; ACT composite 24–31, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

How selective is California Lutheran University?

Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. California Lutheran University admitted 76% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

What is California Lutheran University's acceptance rate?

California Lutheran University's acceptance rate was 76% for fall 2024: it admitted 4,544 of 6,005 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

How much does GPA matter at California Lutheran University?

A lot: California Lutheran University requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, test scores and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies and work experience. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What GPA does California Lutheran University look for?

California Lutheran University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.74, as reported by the college in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.

What GPA did California Lutheran University's first-year students have?

69.7% of California Lutheran University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (28.7%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

Is California Lutheran University test optional?

Check California Lutheran University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. California Lutheran University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 13% sent SAT scores and 3% sent ACT scores.

What do students pay at California Lutheran University after grants?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $27,080 a year at California Lutheran University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Does California Lutheran University accept AP credit?

Yes. California Lutheran University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Before you apply, check California Lutheran University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

  1. College Navigator: California Lutheran UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
  2. California Lutheran University Common Data Set 2024–25California Lutheran University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
  3. College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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