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Is Chapman University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Chapman, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Chapman sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $70,070 helps, but median debt of $20,500 plus yearly net price of $46,555 creates a tighter path. For context, Chapman's net price sits about 110% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school and near the top of its sector range. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$48,037
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis significantly impacts your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $25,200 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $101,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is doing real work against the score and raises the financing burden quickly.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$46,555
Median earnings 10 years out
$70,070
Median debt at graduation
$20,500
Graduation rate
81%
At Chapman, a typical graduate carries about $20,500 in student debt and earns roughly $70,070 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $233 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Chapman is a private nonprofit four year school in Orange, CA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA
Worth-It Score: 31/100
Median net price: $46,080
Private nonprofit 4-year
La Sierra
Riverside, CA
Worth-It Score: 35/100
Median net price: $45,566
Private nonprofit 4-year
Loyola Marymount
Los Angeles, CA
Worth-It Score: 56/100
Median net price: $48,381
Private nonprofit 4-year
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $48,661
Private nonprofit 4-year
Santa Clara
Santa Clara, CA
Worth-It Score: 80/100
Median net price: $50,062
Common questions about Chapman
The median net price at Chapman is $46,555 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in California? See the most affordable private colleges in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →