Acceptance Rate
43%
Avg. SAT
1510
75th percentile
“Tiny Soka University of America in Orange County forges global peacemakers from 440 students through mandatory study abroad and intimate, value-driven seminars.”
Aliso Viejo, CA
Location
Large Suburb
Campus Setting
You'll step onto Soka University of America's hillside campus in Aliso Viejo, a private liberal arts college born in 2001 from a massive gift by Daisaku Ikeda, the philosopher behind Japan's Soka Gakkai—a lay Buddhist group that built earlier universities there. Though secular to its core, SUA channels that legacy into fostering 'value-creation' via peace, human dignity, and intercultural understanding, drawing students from over 50 countries who make up 40% of the undergrads. Ideal fits are collaborative idealists who prioritize global issues over grades, thriving in this close-knit, reflective environment where future diplomats mingle with aspiring environmentalists. The surrounding Orange County suburb offers safe streets, nearby beaches, and Irvine's tech hum, but expect a sleepy vibe far from LA's chaos—perfect for focus, isolating if you crave big-city energy.
Tradeoffs hit hard in SUA's scale: with only 440 undergrads, you'll form lifelong bonds but miss the breadth of larger peers, and the niche humanistic focus might frustrate pre-med or finance hopefuls seeking specialized paths.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
Picture seminars of 15 where professors, often fresh from fieldwork in Asia or Africa, spark debates on everything from refugee policy to sustainable agriculture within five concentrations—International Studies, Environmental Studies, and others—in a flexible BA in Liberal Arts. No rigid majors here; instead, you'll weave languages, humanities, and social sciences, culminating in a senior project showcased globally. The 7:1 ratio delivers personalized guidance, with undergrads co-authoring papers on peacebuilding or climate migration, and every single student fulfills a mandatory semester abroad at one of 44 partners, from Barcelona to Beijing. Classrooms buzz with polyglot perspectives, but the small size curbs advanced electives or labs, and the liberal arts emphasis means you'll pivot elsewhere for engineering or heavy quant work.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
484 undergrad • 11 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
14%
Black / African American
2%
Hispanic / Latino
13%
Asian
10%
Other / Multi-racial
61%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Aliso Viejo, CA
Varsity Athletics
You'll bunk in one of four themed residential villages—think eco-friendly suites with shared kitchens—required for freshmen and sophomores, eating family-style in the Great Hall amid chatter in a dozen languages. Campus hums with 90+ clubs, from taiko drumming to Model UN, plus traditions like Peace Day marches and the Ikeda Forum, where Nobelists and activists visit. A typical week unfolds with morning classes, afternoon hikes in the canyons, volunteer shifts at local tide pools, and weekend surf sessions at Laguna Beach 10 minutes away—no cars needed for most. The vibe rewards thoughtful connectors over party animals; social dynamics stay wholesome without Greek life, but the petite size shrinks dating options, and suburbia demands initiative for excitement beyond campus bonfires.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
NAIA
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$2,532
$30K – $48K
$5,187
$48K – $75K
$8,034
$75K – $110K
$16,246
$110K+
$18,015
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
90%
4 Years Graduation Rate
88%
6 Years Graduation Rate
90%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$55,017
90% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Soka University of America and return in the fall. 88% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 90% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
88%
4-6 years
2%
Non-grad
10%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$33,218
Acceptance
43%
Undergrads
484
4-Year Grad Rate
88%
Endowment
$1.3B
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-8081