California · Private nonprofit · Predominantly bachelor's

Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo, California. 464 undergraduate students. 2 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.

ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS

What the data flags at Soka University of America

Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+29%

Median federal debt at exit

Median federal debt at exit at Soka University of America rose 29% between 2006 and 2009 ($10.5k → $13.5k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+22%

In-state tuition

In-state tuition at Soka University of America rose 22% between 2006 and 2009 ($20.9k → $25.4k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+13%

Out-of-state tuition

Out-of-state tuition at Soka University of America rose 13% between 2021 and 2024 ($34.2k → $38.7k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE-10%

100%-time completion

100%-time completion at Soka University of America fell 10% between 2021 and 2024 (88.2% → 79.1%).

SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT

The numbers, vs. California

Each tile compares this institution to the California median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.

MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10Y
$55,017+29% · 6→10y
California median $42,588
MEDIAN EARNINGS · 6Y
$42,696
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry
COMPLETION · 150%
86.9%+8% · '07→'24
California median 61.3%
MEDIAN FEDERAL DEBT
$15,250+145% · '04→'09
At program completion
UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT
464+16% · '04→'09
latest IPEDS
RETENTION
92.3%-6% · '04→'09
first-time, full-time
ADMISSION RATE
69.5%+2% · '05→'24
latest cohort
IN-STATE TUITION
$37,450+37% · '04→'09
out-of-state $37,450
SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS

How earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry

Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).

ALL FEDERALLY AIDED STUDENTS · TAX-RECORD EARNINGSVINTAGE 2025-05
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS

What loans cost relative to earnings

Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.

Institution-wide

3.7%
0%8% · GE20%+

Median federal debt $15,250 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $55,017 (10y after entry).

SECTION 04 · LONG ARC

Ten-plus year arc

Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.

UNDERGRAD · 20042009431
43135420042009
Undergraduate enrollment.IPEDS EF
COMPLETION 150% · 2007202491.8%
94%79%20072024
150%-time completion rate.IPEDS GR
MEDIAN DEBT · 20042009$13,500
$13,500$5,50020042009
Median federal student debt at exit.SCORECARD
IN-STATE TUITION · 20042009+37%

Soka University of America · in-state tuition rose

$18,562 → $25,352

OUT-OF-STATE TUITION · 20042024+109%

Soka University of America · out-of-state tuition rose

$18,562 → $38,728

MEDIAN DEBT · 20042009+145%

Soka University of America · median debt rose

$5,500 → $13,500

COHORT DEFAULT RATE · 20112024-100%

Soka University of America · cohort default rate fell

7.1% → 0.0%

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_8YR · 20132020+37%

Soka University of America · earnings_median_8yr rose

$35,300 → $48,195

SECTION 05 · PROGRAMS

Ranked by 5-year earnings

Each row is one (CIP × credential) program reported by the institution in College Scorecard's Field-of-Study data. Cohort floor is 30 students; below this, federal data is suppressed.

SECTION 06 · BY CIP FAMILY

1 programs with earnings, grouped

Programs are grouped by 2-digit CIP family. Programs without reported earnings are hidden to keep the list focused.

LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL STUDIES · CIP 24

CAUSAL DISCIPLINE

Soka University of America graduates earn $X” — not “Soka University of America makes you earn $X”

Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending Soka University of America caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.

Methodology →