Quick Summary
University of the Pacific is a private university founded in 1851 in Stockton, California, best known for compressed professional programs in dentistry and pharmacy that let students finish faster than at most U.S. peer schools. It enrolls roughly 6,850 students across three campuses — Stockton, San Francisco (dentistry), and Sacramento (law) — with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Popular programs include pharmacy, business, biological sciences, engineering, and music, and undergraduate admission is need- and merit-aware, test-optional, and holistic. It suits students who want a small-university experience with direct access to accredited professional schools rather than a large research-university environment.
01
Institutional Profile
Who they are
Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry runs the only long-established year-round, accelerated three-year DDS program in the United States, letting dental students reach practice or specialty training a full year ahead of peers at conventional four-year programs. Its Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, dating to 1955, pioneered the country's first accelerated three-year trimester pharmacy program back in 1970, giving the university a genuine multi-decade track record in compressed professional education rather than a recently marketed gimmick. The university operates across three physically distinct campuses — Stockton for most undergraduates, San Francisco for dentistry, and Sacramento for the McGeorge School of Law — so a student's day-to-day campus experience depends heavily on which program they enter. Its 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of 23 keep it closer in feel to a liberal arts college than to the large state universities that surround it in California's Central Valley.
Subject Strengths
Pharmacy & PharmacologyDentistryLawMusicBusiness & Management Studies
Founded1851
TypePrivate
Total Students6852
Intl Students10.1%
Faculty Ratio13:1
CampusSuburban, with additional campuses in Sacramento and San Francisco
Campus Size175 acres (Stockton campus)
Affiliated HospitalsNot Available
AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
02
Global Standing
Three independent ranking systems
QS World 2026
#1401+
Quacquarelli Symonds
Times Higher Ed
Not Available
THE World University
ARWU Shanghai
Not Available
Academic Ranking
03
Academics & Research
What you can study
Bachelor of Arts,Bachelor of Science,Bachelor of Music,Master of Arts,Master of Science,Master of Business Administration,Doctor of Pharmacy,Doctor of Dental Surgery,Juris Doctor,Doctor of Physical Therapy,Doctor of Philosophy
Programs
Yes — Pacific offers PhD programs including Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences and Educational and Organizational Leadership, alongside professional doctorates in dentistry, pharmacy, and physical therapy.
PhD Programs
Yes — fully online options include the Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Health Informatics, and an online Master of Social Work.
Online Programs
Center for Professional and Continuing Education,Pacific Business Forecasting Center,Global Center for Species Survival (Eberhardt School of Business partnership),Behavioral Health Research Center
Research Centers
The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, founded in 1955 as the third pharmacy school in California, launched the nation's first accelerated three-year trimester pharmacy program in 1970, a model later adopted elsewhere. The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry runs the only long-running year-round three-year accelerated DDS program in the United States, built around a 12-quarter Pacific Dental Helix Curriculum that compresses preclinical coursework into year one. Because Pacific is a small, teaching-focused institution rather than an R1 research university, its research footprint is concentrated in these professional schools and in applied education and business-forecasting centers rather than in large federally funded laboratories. Undergraduate research is coordinated through Pacific Fund-supported summer research fellowships that place students directly in faculty labs, a structure made possible by the university's relatively low 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Research Output
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Accreditation
04
Admissions Brief
What it takes to get in
Entry Requirements
Acceptance Rate71%
IELTS6.5
TOEFL80
Min GPA3.0
GRENot required for most undergraduate applicants; requirements vary by graduate program
GMATNot required for the MBA; optional for holistic review
SATTest-optional
ACTTest-optional
Key Dates
FALLApplication Deadline · January 15 (priority); rolling thereafter
SPRINGApplication Deadline · November 15
MAR-APRDecisions Released
Required Documents
TranscriptsSOPEnglish ScoresLORsPassport
Insider Tip
Pacific uses holistic review, so the personal statement and record of community involvement carry real weight alongside GPA since the university is test-optional for undergraduate applicants. Applicants to the accelerated professional programs, particularly the Dugoni DDS and the Doctor of Pharmacy, should apply early because the compressed year-round calendars fill cohorts well before the general deadline. Because Pacific operates three distinct campuses — Stockton for most undergraduate life, Sacramento for law and some graduate programs, and San Francisco for dentistry — applicants should confirm which physical campus their intended program is actually taught on before enrolling. Prospective pharmacy and dental students should also budget for the shorter, more intensive academic calendar, since three-year accelerated tracks leave little room for a lighter course load in any single term.
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Cost Ledger
Annual estimate
UG Tuition
$59,560/yr
per year · USD
Living Cost
$18,500/yr
per year · USD
PG Tuition
$38,400/yr
per year · USD
Application Fee
$55
one time · USD
Total Estimated Annual Cost
$78,060/yr
tuition + living + essentials · USD
Scholarships AvailablePowell Scholars Program,Pacific Merit Scholarships,Regents' Scholarship,Trustee Scholarship
Avg Scholarship$28,000
Financial AidAvailable through FAFSA-based federal and state aid combined with institutional need-based grants and merit scholarships administered by Pacific's Office of Financial Aid.
Work-StudyYes — Federal Work-Study positions are available on campus for eligible students who qualify based on FAFSA-determined financial need.
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Featured & Popular Programs
A sample from Bachelor of Arts,Bachelor of Science,Bachelor of Music,Master of Arts,Master of Science,Master of Business Administration,Doctor of Pharmacy,Doctor of Dental Surgery,Juris Doctor,Doctor of Physical Therapy,Doctor of Philosophy programs total
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| Business Administration | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Biological Sciences | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Engineering | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Music | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
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Career Outcomes
Where graduates land
Not Available
Average Salary After Graduation
Not Available
Employment Rate
Internship PlacementThe Eberhardt School of Business and School of Engineering and Computer Science run structured internship and co-op placement programs, including a formal Engineering Co-op track with its own listed tuition rate, giving engineering students a paid-work option built directly into the degree plan.
Industry Connections
Pacific's Stockton-area location places it near Central Valley agriculturehealthcareand logistics employerswhile its professional schools feed directly into California's dentalpharmacyand legal licensing pipelines — the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramentofor instancesits close to the state capitol and state government agencies that regularly hire its graduates. The Dugoni School of Dentistry's clinical training modelin which students treat patients from early in the programbuilds relationships with regional dental practices that later hire graduates or take them on as associates. The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy has multi-decade ties to Northern California hospital systems and retail pharmacy chains that host required experiential rotations. These connections are shaped more by California's licensure and clinical-rotation requirements than by a centralized corporate recruiting office.
Notable Alumni
Dave Brubeck (jazz pianist and composer),Chris Isaak (musician),Alex Spanos (businessman, former NFL team owner),Janet Leigh (actress)
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Campus & Student Life
Life beyond lectures
Housing
Yes — on-campus residence halls and university-affiliated apartment housing are available for undergraduates, with priority housing guarantees for first- and second-year students at the Stockton campus.
Sports Facilities
Alex G. Spanos Center,Baun Fitness Center,Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center,A.G. Spanos Athletic Practice Facility
Student Clubs
Associated Students of the University of the Pacific (ASuop),Pacific Ambassadors,Delta Sigma Pi,Greek fraternity and sorority chapters,over 100 recognized student organizations across the Stockton campus
Library Resources
William Knox Holt Memorial Library (Stockton campus),Northern California Law Library (McGeorge School of Law),Health Sciences Library serving the Dugoni and pharmacy schools
Exchange Programs
Yes — Pacific's Office of Global Engagement runs bilateral exchange agreements and study-away programs with partner universities in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Summer Programs
Yes — Pacific offers summer session coursework for current and visiting students, along with pre-college and pre-health summer programs.