John Paul the Great Catholic University

Private · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: SHarold (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationCA · West

SettingSuburban

Undergrads286

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate62.6%

6-yr grad rate63.9%

Drop-out rate14.9%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$30k

Out-of-state tuition$30k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity62.6%

Gender diversity44.1%

International2.5%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

John Paul the Great Catholic University is a small Catholic university in Escondido, California, built around what it calls the "creative apostolate" — training students in film production, animation, and entrepreneurship within a devoutly Catholic campus culture that integrates faith formation into the curriculum rather than keeping it separate.

Academics

Programs concentrate in media production — screenwriting, directing, animation — and business and entrepreneurship, with faculty who often bring professional entertainment-industry experience alongside their teaching, since the university positions itself as training Catholic storytellers for mainstream media careers.

Campus & student life

Catholic practice — daily Mass, spiritual direction, retreats — is woven into the rhythm of student life rather than optional, and the small student body creates a tight-knit community organized around shared faith as much as shared creative interests.

Worth knowing

Students should expect a campus culture where Catholic identity and creative or entrepreneurial training are equally central; it suits students who want both explicitly, not just one or the other.

jpcatholic.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate79.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 975–1270 · ACT 21–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying