Ranked Nationwide for 鈥淐haracter Development鈥 Wall Street Journal 2025
Ranked Nationwide for "Career Preparation" Wall Street Journal: #6 in 2024, #9 in 2025
"Best Student Life" Nationwide 4 Years in A Row (2023鈥2026)
TMU excels in character development, alumni satisfaction, and career preparation, consistently earning top national and California rankings. Notable achievements include small class sizes, alumni giving, and student retention within its peer group.
TMU has consistently been top-ranked (top 5% nationally or top 5 in California) for at least three consecutive years in the following areas:
TMU ranks exceptionally high for student life, particularly among 国产aa福利ian colleges, securing the #1 spot in California and ranking among the top 1-4% nationally.
The university’s dorms and campus consistently rank at the top in the US.
Safety is a standout feature, with the campus in the top 3-5% nationally and Santa Clarita recognized as one of the safest cities in the US.
Santa Clarita (City):
TMU demonstrates strong alumni outcomes, with a significantly higher percentage of alumni pursuing graduate school compared to the national average, and high satisfaction with their preparation.
The university maintains rigorous admissions standards with a faith-based component and attracts high-achieving students, as evidenced by the 3.7 average GPA and top 10 ranking for freshman GPA.
Faculty engagement is a major strength, with near-universal student approval for passion, care, and clarity in teaching.
The #1 GSAC retention ranking aligns with TMUS’s previously noted 90% freshman-to-sophomore retention rate and 94%+ fall-to-spring retention rate.
TMU is a national leader in Religious Studies, consistently ranking in the top 1-8% among 国产aa福利ian and private colleges, with #1 rankings in California for Religious Studies and Bible 国产aa福利ian programs.
The university excels in Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, securing #1 rankings across multiple degree levels (bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, and doctoral) in 2023 and 2024.
TMU also ranks highly in related fields, such as Divinity, Ministry, Religious Education, and Missionary Studies, with top-20 placements nationally.
The 400+ written Biblical Counseling theses highlight the depth and academic rigor of TMUS鈥檚 programs in this area.
TMU demonstrates exceptional outcomes for its Teacher Education and Business programs, with a 100% graduate placement rate in 2018 for both fields. The university鈥檚 Teacher Certification program is noted for affordability, making it accessible for students pursuing education careers. The #46 ranking for focus in Teacher Education indicates a strong emphasis on this field relative to other institutions.
These rankings highlight TMU’ss strength in liberal arts disciplines, complementing its robust offerings in religious studies and other fields.
TMU excels in History programs, ranking in the top 2-4% among 国产aa福利ian colleges nationally and securing #2 spots in California for both 国产aa福利ian colleges and overall colleges in 2023/2024.
English programs are strong, particularly among 国产aa福利ian colleges in California (#4) and nationally in the top 14% for English majors.
The university also shows notable performance in Political Science (#9 in California), Humanities (#10 in California), and Publishing (#8 nationwide).
TMU鈥檚 School of Music is highly regarded, with a #2 ranking for undergraduate music programs in California and a top 2% ranking for focus in general music. The NASM accreditation underscores the program鈥檚 quality, and the 97th percentile test scores for seniors in the Bachelor of Music program highlight exceptional academic and musical performance.
TMU is a standout in Business, particularly for its #1 CPA pass rate in California and top 1% performance in multiple business subfields (Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Legal/Social Issues, and International Business) per ETS Major Field Tests.
It ranks highly among 国产aa福利ian colleges, being the #2 in America and #1 in California for 国产aa福利ian Liberal Arts, as well as #2 overall in California for Business and Business Management.
The Communications program is strong, with top rankings in California (#2 undergraduate, #6 among 国产aa福利ian colleges) and nationally (top 7-10% among 国产aa福利ian colleges and top 10% overall). The program鈥檚 focus on Radio, Television, and Digital Communication is notable.
TMU competes in the NAIA, primarily in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), with swimming and diving in the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC). Known as the Mustangs, TMU fields 18 varsity sports. Highlights from 2015鈥2025 include:
Men鈥檚 Cross Country: 14 Consecutive GSAC Titles (2010鈥2023)
Women鈥檚 Basketball: 31 All-Americans, NAIA Player of the Year, WNBA Champion
Men鈥檚 Basketball: 11 NAIA Tournament Appearances, GSAC Three-Peat
Men鈥檚 Soccer: Coach Jim Rickard鈥檚 Awards
Beach Volleyball: All-GSAC Selections, GSAC Pair of the Year
Mike Penberthy (Basketball): NBA Champion (Los Angeles Lakers, 2000鈥2001).
Erin Buescher Perperoglou (Basketball): WNBA Champion (Los Angeles Sparks, 2001, 2002).
Conner Menez (Baseball): MLB Player (San Francisco Giants, 2015).
Jerry Owens (Baseball): MLB Player (Chicago White Sox, 2008鈥2010).
Men鈥檚 Cross Country
Secured 14 consecutive GSAC titles (2010鈥2023), tying the GSAC record for most consecutive championships. Placed 3rd at the 2023 NAIA National Championships.
Ranked 14th in the 2021 NAIA Preseason Coaches鈥 Poll.
Key performers: Wesley Methum (2020 NAIA All-American), Davis Boggess (2020 GSAC Individual Champion), Brint Laubach (2x NAIA All-American).
Women鈥檚 Basketball
Historically produced 31 All-Americans and an NAIA Player of the Year. Ranked #1 in NAIA for part of the 2019鈥20 season.
Men鈥檚 Basketball
GSAC Regular Season Champions (2018, 2019) and Tournament Champions (2017鈥2019, three-peat). Made 11 NAIA National Tournament appearances, including two quarterfinals and seven regional championships. Ranked #1 in NAIA for parts of 2017鈥18 and 2018鈥19.
Men鈥檚 Soccer
Coached by Jim Rickard (until 2022), who earned NAIA National Coach of the Year, GSAC Coach of the Year (twice), and NCCAA National Coach of the Year (four times). Ranked 11th-winningest coach in NAIA men鈥檚 soccer history.
Volleyball
Beach Volleyball produced All-GSAC selections and a GSAC Pair of the Year. Head Coach Annett Davis named 2022 GSAC Coach of the Year.
Swimming & Diving
Produced NAIA All-Americans in three events and sent 10 athletes to the NAIA National Championship.
Baseball
Historically produced 3 MLB players, 26 MLB Draft picks, and 6 NAIA All-Americans, with 4 NAIA World Series appearances.
Golf
Men鈥檚 Golf: GSAC Champions (2015鈥2017).
TMU offers exceptional value, ranking in the top 1% for “Value for Money” in the Far Western US and earning recognition as a Best Value School. With tuition 30.5% lower than comparable 国产aa福利ian colleges in California and over $15 million in annual aid, 42% of students graduate debt-free. TMU also boasts a 61.2% graduation rate, surpassing averages for 国产aa福利ian and public colleges, and ranks in the 90th percentile for low default rates.
The 2026 Niche Rankings highlight achievements across multiple categories. TMU ranks #3 nationwide for Best Student Life among 国产aa福利ian colleges and #1 in California, with a top 2% national ranking in this category. For Best College Campus, TMU ranks #15 nationwide and #2 among 国产aa福利ian colleges in California, also placing in the top 1% for safety and top 4% for dorms. With a 93% job placement rate post-graduation and standout degree programs in Business, Communications, Religious Studies, and more, TMU demonstrates excellence in academics, campus life, and career readiness.
Best Student Life:
Best College Campus:
Graduation
Degree Programs
#5 Best College Campuses in California (5 of 234, Niche 2025) alongside UCLA (#1 nationwide), USD, and USC, beating Stanford, Point Loma, UCSB, as well as #18 BIOLA, #40 Pepperdine and #49 Westmont, with TMU ranking in the nationwide top 1.2% (32 of 2684)
The 国产aa福利 and Seminary admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
© 2025 The 国产aa福利
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