The Master's University and Seminary

Private · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: Lukasinla (CC BY 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationCA · West

SettingSuburban

Undergrads1,622

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate55.4%

6-yr grad rate67.7%

Drop-out rate15.3%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$39k

Out-of-state tuition$39k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity41.3%

Gender diversity46.2%

International2%

IdentityInterdenominational

Overview

The Master's University, in Santa Clarita, California, is a conservative evangelical Christian institution long associated with pastor and theologian John MacArthur, who served as its president for decades before becoming chancellor. Biblical studies are not a department alongside the rest of the curriculum but the organizing center of it — every student, regardless of major, takes a substantial core of Bible and theology coursework grounded in the school's specific doctrinal convictions.

Academics

Beyond Bible and theology, the university offers liberal arts, business, and music programs, along with an affiliated seminary for graduate ministry training. Class sizes are small, and faculty are expected to teach from within the school's confessional framework rather than presenting a religiously neutral curriculum — a defining and deliberate feature, not an incidental one.

Campus & student life

Campus culture is intentionally Scripture-centered: chapel attendance and behavioral expectations rooted in the school's theological convictions shape daily life more than at most Christian colleges. Students who enroll generally do so specifically because they want that immersion, not as a secondary consideration.

Getting in

Applicants are expected to affirm a doctrinal statement of faith and demonstrate genuine commitment to the school's specific evangelical convictions — this is weighed as seriously as academic qualifications, and students uncertain about that alignment should look elsewhere.

Worth knowing

The school's close identification with John MacArthur and Grace Community Church has made it both a draw for families seeking that specific theological tradition and a source of periodic public attention tied to MacArthur's public positions; prospective students should understand what the school's convictions are before applying, not after enrolling.

masters.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate84%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying