Safety Score
3.25 /1K students
incidents per 1,000 enrolled
Malibu, CA · Clery Act 2023 · Private Nonprofit
Pepperdine University
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 9,545-student campus.
- 3.25
- Incidents / 1k students
- #2,322
- Rank of 3,050
- #254
- CA rank
- 9,545
- Enrolled students
Data updated June 2026
The verdict
Pepperdine University reports 3.25 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,322 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 77% of ranked campuses its size.
- 3.25
- incidents / 1,000 students
- #2,322
- of 3,050 ranked nationally
- 77%
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 28
- on-campus incidents, 2023
Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2023
Pepperdine University increased from 19 to 28 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesPepperdine University is a Private Nonprofit institution located in Malibu, CA, enrolling approximately 9,545 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 68 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within CA, it ranks #254 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →
With 9,545 enrolled students, this campus sits in the mid-sized institution bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.
The most frequently reported category at Pepperdine University is "Burglary" with 37 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in CA averaging 5.15 incidents per 1,000 students, Pepperdine University reports 37% fewer incidents per student.
Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 1 total fire. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 90 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.
National Rank
#2322
See peer comparison
State Rank (CA)
#254
within state peers
Incidents (2023)
28
across 11 crime categories
Where Pepperdine University sits among ranked U.S. campuses
On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students
3 safer than 23% of 1,807 ranked campuses
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023
Safety percentile vs. peers
Pepperdine University percentile rank 23.9%
National median
Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2322 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.
Reporting density vs peer median
Pepperdine University reports 37% fewer incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $69,918
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $69,918
- Avg Net Price
- $58,098
- Median Debt
- $23,510
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 20%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- SAT Average
- 1384
- SAT Math Range
- 640–740
- ACT Average
- 28
- ACT Range
- 29–32
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 84%
- Retention Rate
- 88%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $64,934
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $82,939
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 78%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyPepperdine University: on-campus incidents by year
Rising 33% (21 → 28 incidents)
| Crime Type | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Burglary | 12 | 9 | 16 |
| Fondling | 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 10 | 3 | 2 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
90 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 11 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 40 |
Pepperdine University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).
CA
Pepperdine University
3.25 incidents / 1,000 students
NY
Empire State University
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
NY
Farmingdale State College
0.63 incidents / 1,000 students
Similar Institutions
Empire State University
Saratoga Springs, NY · 9,545 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY · 9,541 enrolled
Safety Score 0.63
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA · 9,550 enrolled
Safety Score 3.77
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX · 9,517 enrolled
Safety Score 19.54
Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ · 9,494 enrolled
Safety Score 1.79
Closest by National Rank
Institutions ranked nearest Pepperdine University nationally (rank #2322), regardless of size or state.
University of Rio Grande
Rio Grande, OH
National Rank #2321
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH
National Rank #2323
University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH
National Rank #2320
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY
National Rank #2324
Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
National Rank #2319
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pepperdine University safe?
Pepperdine University has a safety score of 3.25 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,322 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Pepperdine University?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Pepperdine University compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in CA.
Does Pepperdine University have fire safety data?
Yes. Pepperdine University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.
Understanding Pepperdine University's Safety Profile
Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA enrolls 9,545 students and has a safety score of 3.25 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2322 nationally.
Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 19 in 2022 to 28 in 2023.
Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.
What this means for you
Pepperdine University's 3.25 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.
- Weigh Pepperdine University against similar-size campuses, scale changes what the raw count means. Compare campuses
- A higher count can mean stronger reporting, not more danger. How the data works
- Clery covers campus grounds only. Campus vs. city crime
Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.