California Baptist University (CBU): Admissions, Cost and Location

Private colleges guide · By CalChannel Editorial Team · Updated September 29, 2026

California Baptist University (CBU) admitted 81% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, or 6,868 of 8,438, according to its Common Data Set. Enrolled first-years averaged a 3.36 high school GPA, and SAT and ACT scores are not required. For 2026-27, tuition and fees are $44,724, and every new Fall 2026 student is guaranteed at least $10,000 in CBU gift aid.

Cal Baptist gets more interest than most private universities in the Inland Empire, and more confusion. People mistake it for a Cal State campus, assume it’s hard to get into, or rule it out on the sticker price alone. Most of those assumptions fall apart once you look at the actual numbers.

Here’s the short version: CBU is easy to get into by private-university standards, expensive before aid, and much less expensive after it. Whether it’s worth it comes down to your net price and your comfort with a campus where Christian faith is part of daily life.

What Is CBU?

CBU is California Baptist University, a private, nonprofit Christian university in Riverside affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention. It opened in 1950 as California Baptist College in El Monte, moved to Riverside in 1955, and became California Baptist University in September 1998. It has held regional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) since 1961.

The “Christian college” label can make CBU sound small. It isn’t. Enrollment reached a record 12,516 students in Fall 2025, the 25th consecutive year of growth, including 8,707 undergraduates. The university now runs ten colleges and schools with degrees from the associate level up to doctorates, plus a large online division for working adults.

Is CBU Part of the Cal State System?

No. CBU is a private university and has no connection to the California State University system, even though people sometimes search for it as “Cal State Baptist.” The similar abbreviation is the only link. That difference matters most for cost: Cal State campuses charge California residents far lower, state-subsidized tuition, while CBU sets its own price and relies on its own aid to bring it down. More on that comparison below.

Where Is CBU Located?

California Baptist University is located at 8432 Magnolia Avenue in Riverside, California, in the Inland Empire region about 55 to 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Ontario International Airport is roughly 20 minutes away, which makes it the easiest airport for most families visiting campus.

The 162-acre campus sits in Riverside’s Magnolia Avenue district, with Spanish Mission-style buildings, courtyards and palm-lined walkways. Niche ranked it No. 3 on its 2026 list of the best college campuses in America. The Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center, a 5,050-seat arena that opened in 2017, anchors the athletics side of campus.

Riverside’s location is a practical advantage. Students can reach Los Angeles, Orange County beaches, the San Bernardino Mountains or Palm Springs within about an hour, while living in a region with lower housing costs than coastal Southern California. UC Riverside is a few miles away if you want to compare a public option in the same city.

What Is the CBU Acceptance Rate?

The CBU acceptance rate was 81% for Fall 2025: California Baptist University admitted 6,868 of 8,438 first-year applicants, and 1,591 of them enrolled, according to its Common Data Set 2025-26. That makes CBU one of the more accessible private universities in California.

Here’s the part worth knowing: CBU’s rate moves around. It was 73.6% in 2023-24, jumped to 84.9% in 2024-25 and settled at 81% for Fall 2025, while applications kept climbing. About 23% of admitted students enroll, so CBU is a first choice for a meaningful share of the students it admits.

CBU Admission Requirements

CBU’s first-year application is simpler than most private universities’. SAT and ACT scores are not required or used for admission; you can send them only for English and math placement. Letters of recommendation are no longer required either. Grades vary more than at selective schools: enrolled first-years for Fall 2025 averaged a 3.36 GPA, and 33% had a 4.0.

How Much Does CBU Cost?

For 2026-27, CBU reports tuition of $42,264 and required first-year fees of $2,460, for $44,724 in tuition and fees. On-campus housing and food add $16,662, based on the Common Data Set’s standard of a shared room and a full meal plan, which brings the direct cost for a first-year student living on campus to about $61,400 before books, health insurance, transportation and personal expenses.

But almost nobody pays that full price. CBU says 95% of students receive grants or scholarships, and for Fall 2025, full-time undergraduates with financial need received an average aid package of $28,238, according to the Common Data Set. That package can include need-based loans and work-study as well as grants, so subtract only grants and scholarships when you estimate what you’ll actually owe.

CBU also puts a floor under aid for new students. Under the CBU Promise, every incoming traditional student who starts in Fall 2026 is guaranteed at least $10,000 in CBU gift aid. Academic scholarships are guaranteed when you meet the GPA requirement and renew each year with a 2.0 college GPA:

Is CBU More Expensive Than a Cal State?

Yes, by a wide margin before aid. CBU’s tuition and required fees are $44,724 for 2026-27. California residents pay $9,780 in tuition and campus fees at San Diego State and $8,516 at Cal State Fullerton for the same year. Even after a guaranteed CBU scholarship, a Cal State campus is usually cheaper for a California resident who qualifies for admission.

“Comparing CBU with a Cal State on sticker price alone misses how CBU prices itself. A student with a 3.5 GPA is guaranteed a $16,000 Deans Scholarship before any need-based aid is counted, and need-based grants such as Pell or Cal Grant can add to it. Get both offers in hand, subtract only the grants and scholarships, and compare those two numbers. That is the real price difference.”

CalChannel Editorial Team

So when does CBU make financial sense? When the gap between your CBU offer and your Cal State offer is small, or when a program you want, such as nursing, is easier to get into at CBU than at an impacted Cal State campus.

What Majors Does CBU Offer?

CBU offers degrees from the associate to the doctoral level across ten colleges and schools, which makes it feel more like a comprehensive university than a small faith-based college.

Is CBU Good for Nursing?

Nursing is one of CBU’s best-known programs, with BSN, MSN and DNP pathways. For students who want a nursing degree in Southern California, a private option like CBU is worth comparing with impacted public programs, where seats are limited. Check the College of Nursing’s current admission requirements, since entry to the nursing major is separate from admission to the university.

CBU Online is the other big piece. Online undergraduate programs cost $520 per unit in 2025-26, far below the per-unit rate for traditional on-campus students, which makes CBU a realistic option for working adults.

What Is CBU Known For?

CBU is known for three things: fast growth, career-focused programs and a strong Christian identity. The Wall Street Journal’s 2024 Best Colleges ranking tied CBU for No. 1 in the nation for career preparedness and placed it No. 2 for student experience.

Athletics are a growing part of the brand. The Lancers compete in NCAA Division I and officially joined the Big West Conference on July 1, 2026, putting them in the same league as several UC and Cal State campuses. School colors are navy blue and gold.

Faith is part of daily campus life, and it’s worth taking seriously before you apply. CBU integrates a Christian worldview into its programs and campus culture. You don’t have to be Baptist or Christian to enroll, but you should expect faith to be present in classes and student life. Notable alumni include Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life, and California politicians Jay Obernolte and Nathan Fletcher.

Is CBU a Good School?

CBU is a solid choice for students who want career-focused programs, small-to-mid-size classes and a Christian campus, with outcomes that are about average. The six-year graduation rate is 62% for the 2018 entering class, 77% of first-year students returned for a second year in Fall 2025, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1.

Those numbers are not exceptional, and it’s fair to weigh them against the price. A student who doesn’t finish pays for years that don’t turn into a degree, so the graduation rate matters as much as the discount. On the other side, the WSJ career preparedness ranking and CBU’s professional programs in nursing, engineering, business and education explain why employers in the Inland Empire recruit its graduates. If you’re comparing private options, see our guide to Loyola Marymount University and our full private colleges guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line on CBU

California Baptist University is an accessible private university, with an 81% acceptance rate for Fall 2025 and no test requirement, a growing Division I athletics program and career-focused majors like nursing, engineering and business. It’s also a Christian university in a meaningful sense, and that fit question comes first. Compare CBU with UC Riverside, Cal State San Bernardino and other private colleges in California.

On cost, ignore the sticker price at first and look at your offer. Guaranteed merit scholarships of $14,000 to $18,000, the $10,000 CBU Promise floor and need-based aid can narrow the gap a lot. Then set that net price next to a Cal State offer and let the difference decide.