Pepperdine SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)

Pepperdine SAT scores break into two parts: a Reading and Writing middle 50 of 650 to 710 and a Math middle 50 of 640 to 740. Put together, the composite average sits at 1384, and the full middle 50 runs from 1290 to 1450. That means half of admitted students scored inside that band, 1 in 4 came in below 1290, and 1 in 4 landed above 1450. The ACT middle 50 for the same group was 29 to 32.

Pepperdine admits about 62.9% of applicants, so the door is open wider than at the most selective private schools, but a score near the low end still leaves little room. The university is a private nonprofit in Malibu, California, with an undergraduate enrollment of 3,553. That is a small campus by national standards, and a smaller class tends to sharpen the read on every application. In the most recent federal data, testing was optional at Pepperdine, so you can apply without a score. Sending a strong one still helps you stand out when the rest of the file is close.

Here is how to read your score against Pepperdine's numbers. A composite below 1290 puts you under the 25th percentile, which does not end your case but means the rest of the file has to do more work. Land between 1290 and 1450 and you sit inside the middle 50, right where most admitted students fall. Clear 1450 and you are in the top 1 in 4 of the pool.

The section splits are worth a closer look. Math stretches from 640 to 740, so its 75th percentile of 740 sets the higher ceiling of the two sections. Reading and Writing runs 650 to 710, a tighter band with a slightly higher floor at the 25th percentile. If you are strong in Math, pushing toward 740 lifts your composite fast. If Reading and Writing is your strength, holding above 710 keeps you in the top quarter of that section. Know which side gives you the most room before you plan your studying.

Admitted students at Pepperdine typically present an unweighted GPA somewhere around 3.3 to 3.7. That is a working range, not a cutoff, and plenty of files land on either side of it. What matters as much as the number is where the grades came from. An A in an honors or AP course carries more weight than the same letter in an easier class, and admissions readers look at the rigor behind the transcript.

If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score at or above the 1450 mark tells a reader that the academic ability is there even if one or two semesters dipped. Grades are built over years and cannot be redone quickly. A test score can move in weeks with focused work, which makes it the most practical lever you have late in the process. Aim to put your number in the upper half of Pepperdine's range and let it carry weight the transcript cannot.

Set your targets against the actual percentiles. A composite at or above 1290 keeps you inside Pepperdine's range, since that is the 25th percentile of admitted students. Push to 1450 or higher and you move into the top 1 in 4 of the pool. On the sections, aim for 710 in Reading and Writing and 740 in Math to match the 75th percentile on each.

Start by finding out where you stand today. Take a full length diagnostic to get a baseline composite and a split between the two sections, then compare it against the 1290 to 1450 band above. Once you know your gap, build a study path around it with our score plans, which map the point jump you need to weekly targets. Your next concrete step is simple: sit the diagnostic this week, then set a goal score at or above 1450 and work backward from your test date.