Point Loma Nazarene University

Point Loma Nazarene University's published cost of attendance is $60,488. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $30,999, middle-income families pay around $32,888, and higher-income families pay approximately $41,680.

Azimuth ranks Point Loma Nazarene University #1332 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Point Loma's aid structure combines need-based and merit-based components. Families apply using the FAFSA, and the university participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs.

The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the net price outcomes across income bands — a useful signal for comparing how different institutions price their education relative to their peer set. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,990, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $38,376; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $72,880, median federal debt of $22,990 projects to a monthly payment of about $260 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Point Loma Nazarene University earn median 4-year earnings of $72,880, placing Point Loma Nazarene University in the 74.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Point Loma Nazarene University sits in the 82.4 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Point Loma Nazarene University #385 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Point Loma Nazarene University's concentration in business and professional fields.

Nursing is the largest program with 137 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $114,919, performing at 1.3x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 115 students earning $74,495, while Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services with 95 graduates earns $46,119.

Psychology, General and Teacher Education round out the top five programs, with median 4-year earnings of $46,437 and $56,198 respectively. This program mix, anchored in Business, supports consistent outcomes across the student body and aligns with regional employer demand in San Diego's professional services and technology sectors.

Point Loma Nazarene University's program mix is anchored in business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's identity as a career-focused private university in San Diego. Nursing is the largest program with 137 graduates annually, followed by Business Administration, Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Psychology, General, and Teacher Education.

Across 30 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with professional and applied-business pathways. The earnings pattern reflects strength in applied fields where graduates enter the workforce directly.

Nursing leads with median earnings of $114,919 four years after enrollment, followed by Business Administration at $74,495, Biology, General at $65,365, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at $59,654, and Criminal Justice at $59,183. These programs cluster in business, accounting, nursing, and related professional disciplines where employer demand remains steady and early-career earnings reflect direct labor-market entry.

Point Loma Nazarene University's program portfolio emphasizes high-mobility pathways where graduates move directly into the workforce rather than pursuing graduate study. Business and accounting programs dominate the earnings distribution, supported by the institution's location in a major metropolitan market with established professional-services and healthcare sectors.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these applied-professional fields align with regional and national labor-market demand.