Point Loma Nazarene University

What Point Loma Nazarene University does

Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a private, non-profit Christian higher education institution affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, founded in 1902 and headquartered at 3900 Lomaland Drive, San Diego, California. The university serves traditional undergraduates (over 2,000 enrolled at the 90-acre oceanfront Point Loma campus), graduate students, adult learners, military-affiliated students, and international students from more than 20 countries. PLNU's core academic offering spans traditional residential bachelor's programs, accelerated/hybrid undergraduate programs for working adults, fully online undergraduate and graduate degrees, and graduate-level credentials delivered across five regional centers (Point Loma, Mission Valley, Balboa, Liberty Station, Bakersfield) plus online channels. Academic concentrations include nursing (BSN, DNP/FNP), education, business (MBA, BBA online), kinesiology with biomechanics, social work, public administration, clinical counseling, and psychology, with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and a 13-school collegiate structure.

The university's technology and operational stack combines an in-house myPLNU student portal and mobile app, Handshake for career services integration with 300,000+ employers, Monsido for WCAG accessibility compliance monitoring, Rave Alert for emergency notifications, and Theia markerless motion capture technology at the jointly operated PLNU-San Diego Padres Biomechanics Lab. The Health Promotion Center operates a free primary care clinic in City Heights as a nursing training site, and the Education Access Center provides disability accommodations across all campuses. Website compliance with WCAG 2.1 Levels A/AA and Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act is monitored and disclosed publicly.

PLNU's revenue model is tuition-driven across three primary streams: traditional undergraduate tuition (with a $425 confirmation deposit, scholarships, financial aid, and VA benefits), graduate and professional studies tuition (delivered through regional centers and online), and accelerated undergraduate tuition for working adults delivered via hybrid and online formats. Specific tuition pricing is not publicly disclosed. GTM is multi-modal: direct-to-consumer undergraduate admissions with Early Action (November 15) and General Admission (February 15 priority) deadlines, traditional sales-led recruitment for graduate and adult programs through regional centers, and self-serve online program enrollment. Marketing channels span a digital-first presence across Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok, plus on-campus events including campus tours, Welcome Week orientation, Family Weekend, summer webinars, and Viewpoint Magazine content. The institution's ecosystem includes sub-brands LoveWorks (international missions) and the Educational Access Center, with no parent company, external ownership, or funding rounds disclosed.

Name

Point Loma Nazarene University

Legal name

Point Loma Nazarene University

Website

https://pointloma.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Point Loma Nazarene University is a private, non-profit Christian university founded in 1902 in San Diego, offering undergraduate, graduate, accelerated, and online degree programs across five Southern California regional centers to over 2,000 traditional undergraduates plus adult, military, and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA), Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degrees
• Online education
• Christian university

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Traditional undergraduate programs with tuition and fees built into cost structure. Deposit of $425 confirms enrollment. Financial aid, scholarships, and VA benefits available.
2. Graduate and Professional Studies: Master's degrees, doctorates, certificates, and credentials for working adults through regional centers (Mission Valley, Balboa, Bakersfield) and online programs
3. Accelerated Undergraduate Programs: Non-traditional options designed for working adults, including hybrid and online formats, with accelerated completion pathways

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Point Loma Nazarene University is a private, nonprofit Christian university delivering bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees, certificates, and credentials across traditional on-campus, regional center, hybrid, and fully online modalities. Offerings span liberal arts, nursing, business, education, kinesiology, social work, and ministry, with Christ-centered spiritual formation integrated throughout the academic experience. The university serves more than 2,000 undergraduates at its Point Loma campus and additional cohorts across five Southern California regional centers and online programs.

Product overview

Point Loma Nazarene University is a Christ-centered higher education institution offering a portfolio of academic programs through multiple delivery formats: traditional on-campus undergraduate programs at its oceanfront Point Loma campus, graduate programs across multiple regional centers (Mission Valley, Balboa, Bakersfield) and online, accelerated undergraduate programs for working adults, and fully online degree programs. The university's academic offerings span undergraduate degrees (Applied Psychology, Business Administration, Child Development, Nursing BSN, Public Administration, Strategic Communication), graduate degrees (Kinesiology with Biomechanics, MBA programs, Master of Social Work, Public Administration, Clinical Counseling, Teaching, Nursing DNP/FNP), and professional credentials/certificates. Beyond degree programs, PLNU provides an ecosystem of student services including the Educational Access Center for disability accommodations, Career Services with Handshake integration, Health Promotion Center community clinic, Wellness Center with medical and counseling services, Library and Tutorial Center, spiritual formation programs (Chapel, Worship Arts, Spiritual Mentorship, LoveWorks Missions, Ministry with México, Community Ministries), and campus facilities across five regional locations plus online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LoveWorks: PLNU's short-term mission program that sends student teams to serve alongside partnering ministries around the world for over three decades.
• Educational Access Center (EAC)

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 13:1 student-faculty ratio
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• San Diego PadrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Jointly operate the Point Loma Nazarene University Biomechanics Lab for baseball research. The facility has been independently tested by Driveline Baseball and uses markerless motion capture technology for analyzing batter biomechanics.
• GNCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025Launched clinical research initiative testing supplement efficacy using wearable technology and validated lab protocols. First study examines performance blend effects on muscle strength, power, and recovery, led by PLNU's kinesiology team in collaboration with GNC's Science & Innovation group.
• Studio E ArchitectscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 26 August 2025Engaged to develop master plan for PLNU's 90-acre Point Loma campus. Recommendations include new student housing at north end of campus, 25,000-square-foot fitness center, and event center to address growth within existing footprint constraints.
• Bartell HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPLNU offers reduced rates at select Bartell Hotels in San Diego. When booking, asking for 'PLNU rate' results in donation portion going to PLNU's University Fund for student scholarships.
• HandshakecoreTechnology or IntegrationPLNU is a proud member of Handshake platform providing students and alumni access to over 300,000 employers including all Fortune 500 companies for job and internship search.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• University of San Diego: Larger private Catholic (non-denominational Christian) university in San Diego, same city and overlapping faith-based identity. Comparable regional-center footprint and graduate program mix.
• Pepperdine University: Larger, well-known private Christian university in Malibu, California. Comparable faith-based positioning, premium Southern California location, and graduate professional programs, but materially larger scale and broader brand recognition.
• California Baptist University: Larger private Southern California Christian university in Riverside with broader program portfolio and larger enrollment. Comparable faith-based positioning and regional market overlap.

Direct peers

• Azusa Pacific University: Private Christian university in Azusa, California with comparable enrollment scale, similar undergraduate/graduate mix, and Wesleyan-Holiness faith tradition. Closest Southern California faith-based private competitor.
• Biola University: Private, faith-affiliated (evangelical) university in La Mirada, Southern California, similar in size, faith-based identity, and degree mix. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping Christian-identity positioning and Southern California market.
• Concordia University Irvine: Private Lutheran (LCMS) university in Irvine, California, similar enrollment scale and faith-affiliated positioning. Directly comparable on private Christian identity and Southern California geography.
• Northwest Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated university in Nampa, Idaho. Direct denominational peer to PLNU with comparable enrollment scale and faith-based residential model.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated university in Nashville, Tennessee. Same denomination as PLNU, similar size and faith-based positioning; useful Nazarene-system benchmark for brand strength and recruitment.
• MidAmerica Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated university in Olathe, Kansas. Direct denominational peer comparable on faith tradition, size, and undergraduate/graduate mix.
• Vanguard University: Private Christian (Assemblies of God) university in Costa Mesa, California, similar in size and faith-based positioning. Comparable residential undergraduate offering and Southern California regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/plnu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PLNUvideo/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/26060837166
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/point-loma-nazarene-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/plnu
• TikToktiktok.com/@plnu_official?

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Point Loma Nazarene University