Point Loma Nazarene University

Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a nonprofit Christian liberal-arts university on San Diego’s Point Loma peninsula. Its residential campus sits beside the Pacific, while its adult undergraduate and graduate programs also meet at regional centers and partner locations across San Diego County and in Bakersfield. The university’s Nazarene tradition shapes chapel and community life, so students should weigh that environment alongside their academic goals. This guide brings together degree options, current undergraduate costs and aid, campus addresses, and recurring themes in student feedback.

Programs and ways to study

PLNU’s traditional undergraduate catalog lists more than 50 majors across the arts and sciences, business, engineering, and nursing. Examples include biology, psychology, communication, business administration, engineering, education, and the direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The university also offers graduate and professional study in areas such as nursing, education, business, counseling, and theology, plus accelerated and online degree-completion options for adult learners. Each path has different admission requirements, formats, and costs; use the current program catalog to confirm the specific degree and the application page to contact the appropriate admissions team.

2026–27 undergraduate cost and aid

PLNU’s estimate for a first-year student or transfer taking 12–17 units and living on the main campus in 2026–27 is $66,010 for the year. The estimate includes $49,500 tuition, a $1,000 general fee, $8,900 for a shared room, a $90 residence-hall fee, and $6,520 for a mid-priced dining plan. Books, supplies, transportation, personal expenses, special course fees, and nursing program fees are additional; nursing tuition also differs. A commuter estimate is $51,210 before those extra costs. Graduate, accelerated, and online programs use different tuition rates, so do not use the residential undergraduate figure for them. See the university’s current cost tables for meal-plan choices and program-specific charges.

Incoming first-year students at the Point Loma campus may qualify for 2026–27 merit awards of $12,000–$24,000 per year based on academic criteria; PLNU says admission applicants are considered for many awards without a separate scholarship application. Need-based packages may combine federal and California aid with the university’s Point Loma Forward Grant, which requires a FAFSA and other eligibility checks. Students connected to qualifying Nazarene churches may be eligible for church, matching, or regional grants, and children of pastors or missionaries may qualify for tuition discounts. These programs have restrictions, renewal rules, and different application steps. Ask Student Financial Services at (619) 849-2538 to review your own aid estimate and remaining balance; the scholarship and aid pages explain current criteria.

Main campus and regional locations

• Point Loma main campus: 3900 Lomaland Drive, San Diego, CA 92106; (619) 849-2200. This is the residential undergraduate campus and the address on the university’s main listing.
• Mission Valley Regional Center: 4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108; (619) 329-6799.
• Balboa Regional Center: 9055 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123; (619) 849-7974.
• Liberty Station Conference Center: 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA 92106; (619) 849-3285.
• Bakersfield Regional Center: 5080 California Avenue, Suite 300, Bakersfield, CA 93309; (661) 321-3480.

PLNU also teaches selected programs at community-college partner sites; these are class locations, not separate residential PLNU campuses: Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon, CA 92019; Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020; San Diego Mesa College, 7250 Mesa College Drive, San Diego, CA 92111; San Diego City College, 1313 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92101; MiraCosta College, 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056; Miramar College, 10440 Black Mountain Road, San Diego, CA 92126; Palomar College, 1140 West Mission Road, San Marcos, CA 92069; Southwestern College, 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910; and Mt. San Jacinto College, 1499 N. State Street, San Jacinto, CA 92583. Courses and degree pathways vary by location; consult the campuses and regional centers directory before planning a visit.

The main campus listing showed it closed during the Saturday check and opening Monday at 8 a.m.; a full weekly public-hours schedule was not available in the listing capture. Tours are offered on weekdays, at Preview Days, on Sunset Tours, and virtually; schedule through PLNU’s campus visit page. Undergraduate Admissions is (619) 849-2273.

What students say

Many student comments point to the coastal setting, close relationships with professors, small classes, and a strong sense of community as reasons they value PLNU. Other comments describe a close-knit environment that can feel insular, and note that the university’s Christian expectations and campus rules may not suit everyone. Dining variety and housing availability or condition also appear as concerns in some student feedback, alongside the high published price before aid. These are individual accounts, not guarantees about every school or student’s experience. When you visit, ask about chapel and community expectations, housing for your class year, dining options, the exact award you may receive, and how your program is delivered at each site. Read more student perspectives and recent campus comments alongside your own program research.