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Admissions & selectivity

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# California Baptist University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Updated October 1, 2026

[Overview](/school/california-baptist-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/california-baptist-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-baptist-university/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/california-baptist-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/california-baptist-university/similar/)

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## What is the acceptance rate at California Baptist University?

California Baptist University’s reported acceptance rate is 84.9%.

**Acceptance rate · Fall 2024**
84.9%

Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle.

How to interpret the acceptance rate

California Baptist University admits 84.9% of applicants, a rate that reflects broad access rather than narrow selectivity. The median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size) sits below that figure.

## What SAT and ACT scores do California Baptist University students report?

SAT and ACT ranges are not available for California Baptist University in the data shown here. Missing scores do not establish whether tests are required, optional or excluded from review.

Figures cover fall 2024.

## Who enrolls at California Baptist University?

**Pell Grant recipients**
42.1%

**Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group**
38.3%

**First-year retention**
74.4%

Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention.

About these student measures

The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns.

California Baptist University enrolls 8,179 undergraduates. 42.1% receive Pell Grants, and an estimated 38.3% arrive as transfers or part-time students.

The student body is built from two large entry points: the traditional first-year route and a substantial transfer pipeline. For Pell-eligible applicants, the grant is a starting point, not the whole aid picture.

California Baptist University retains 74.4% of its first-year students, a figure that sits below the peer median of 83.4% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time, full-time cohort is 61.9%, which also trails the peer median of 68.8%.

Pell Grant recipients in that cohort complete at a rate of 55.5%, below the overall six-year rate by 6.4 percentage points. The retention and completion figures suggest that while many students persist, a considerable share do not reach the second year or a degree within six years.

Enrolled students can expect an environment where the first year is a critical juncture, and where connecting with academic support early may be especially important for staying on track.

## Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).