La Sierra University

Private · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: DEGA MD (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationCA · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,116

Student:faculty12:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate43%

6-yr grad rate59.7%

Drop-out rate22.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$38k

Out-of-state tuition$38k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity91.1%

Gender diversity58.4%

International6.5%

IdentitySeventh Day Adventists

Overview

La Sierra University, in Riverside, California, is a Seventh-day Adventist institution, and Adventist religious practice, including Saturday Sabbath observance, genuinely shapes the weekly rhythm of campus life rather than existing as background affiliation. It pairs that faith identity with real academic strength in specific areas.

Academics

The business school has built a reputation through its Enactus program, a social-entrepreneurship competition team that has won championship titles, giving business students unusually direct access to applied, competitive project work. Biology and pre-health tracks are also strong, feeding into the university's Adventist-affiliated health-care pipeline, with Loma Linda University and other Adventist medical institutions as natural next steps for pre-health graduates.

Campus & student life

Because of Sabbath observance, the campus calendar runs differently than at a typical college — Friday evening through Saturday is set aside for religious observance and rest rather than the usual weekend social schedule, and this shapes everything from dining hours to event planning. Riverside's setting gives students access to a mid-sized Southern California city without the cost or scale of Los Angeles.

Worth knowing

Sabbath observance is not a minor cultural note — it structures the actual weekly calendar, and students unfamiliar with Adventist practice should understand that Friday evening through Saturday looks different than at a typical American college.

lasierra.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate91.5%

Enrolled mid-50%1180

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying