Online College Review: Biola University

Biola University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California, founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The university is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), holds a Carnegie Doctoral/Professional Universities classification, and is consistently ranked as a top-tier National University by U.S. News & World Report. Total enrollment is approximately 5,400 to 5,800 students across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, with substantial enrollment in fully online bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

This review examines Biola University Online specifically: the WSCUC accreditation picture, what online programs are available, the unusually attractive online tuition rate ($446 per credit, marketed as roughly one-third of traditional residential tuition), who the institution is built for, the role of evangelical faith integration in the academic experience, and how Biola compares to other faith-affiliated and secular online universities. The review is structured for working professionals and adult learners evaluating online options, not for traditional-age applicants considering Biola’s residential campus experience.

For the broader framework on planning an online degree as a working adult, see: The Complete Guide to Earning an Accredited Online Degree as an Adult Learner.

Institutional Overview

Founding and Religious Identity

Biola was founded in 1908 by Lyman Stewart and T.C. Horton as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, focused initially on training students for Christian ministry and missions. The institution evolved into a full university over the twentieth century, adding Talbot Theological Seminary as its first graduate school in 1952, acquiring the graduate programs of Rosemead Graduate School of Professional Psychology in 1977, and adding the School of Intercultural Studies (1983), Crowell School of Business (1993), and School of Education (2007). The current name, Biola University, derives from the original Bible Institute of Los Angeles abbreviation.

Biola’s religious identity is interdenominational evangelical Protestantism, distinct from the denominationally-specific affiliations of many Christian universities. Where Harding University and Lipscomb University are affiliated with the Churches of Christ Restoration tradition, where Liberty University has Southern Baptist roots, and where Regent University is similarly evangelical but distinctively positioned around its founding by Pat Robertson, Biola positions itself within the broader evangelical Protestant tradition without primary denominational affiliation. The university’s doctrinal statement emphasizes Biblical authority, the deity of Christ, and conservative evangelical theology, and faculty must affirm this statement as a condition of employment. All undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits of Bible and theology coursework, equivalent to a minor, regardless of major.

Campus and Setting

The main campus is in La Mirada, California, approximately 16 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles metropolitan setting provides employment, internship, and post-graduation career opportunities in fields including entertainment, technology, healthcare, and Christian ministry that smaller-market universities cannot match. Biola is one of the few prominent evangelical Christian universities in California and the only one in the greater Los Angeles area with this institutional profile.

Schools and Academic Organization

Biola operates through eight schools: Talbot School of Theology, Rosemead School of Psychology, Crowell School of Business, Cook School of Intercultural Studies, School of Education, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Science, Technology and Health, and the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts. The Snyder School has received recognition from Variety Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and Filmmaker Magazine as a top film school, an unusual accolade for a Christian university and a direct benefit of the Los Angeles location.

Is Biola University Accredited?

Yes. Biola University is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), one of the seven U.S. Department of Education-recognized regional accrediting bodies. WSCUC has accredited Biola continuously since 1961. The same accreditor oversees Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of California system, Caltech, Pepperdine, and the major California public universities. WSCUC accreditation carries full federal recognition for financial aid eligibility, credit transferability, employer recognition, and graduate school admissions.

Source: WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Programmatic Accreditations

Beyond institutional WSCUC accreditation, Biola holds several programmatic accreditations that affect specific career and licensure outcomes:

• American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation: The Rosemead School of Psychology’s Ph.D. and Psy.D. clinical psychology programs are APA-accredited. APA accreditation is the gold standard for clinical psychology doctoral training and is required for most licensure pathways for clinical psychologists. This is genuinely distinctive among Christian universities; many faith-affiliated psychology programs lack APA accreditation.
• Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Commission on Accrediting: Talbot School of Theology is ATS-accredited, the standard accreditation for graduate theological education in the United States and Canada.
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP): The Crowell School of Business is ACBSP-accredited. ACBSP is one tier below AACSB accreditation but is widely recognized by employers and graduate schools.
• California Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Biola’s Teacher Preparation Program is approved for California teaching credentials, which is required for teacher licensure within California.
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI): Additional credential recognition for educators pursuing careers in Christian schools.

The APA accreditation of the Rosemead doctoral programs is the most meaningful programmatic differentiator in Biola’s portfolio. Students pursuing clinical psychology careers at the doctoral level have very few APA-accredited Christian university options. Rosemead is one of a small number of programs that combine APA training standards with explicit Christian faith integration, including a required theology coursework sequence within the doctoral programs themselves.

Biola Online Programs

Biola’s online catalog is focused rather than wide-ranging, but the available programs are well-developed and the pricing structure makes them notably more accessible than the residential alternatives at Biola.

Online Bachelor’s Programs

Biola offers three fully online bachelor’s degrees, all priced at $446 per credit hour:

• S. in Psychology: A non-clinical online psychology bachelor’s program housed within the Rosemead School of Psychology. Students benefit from access to the same faculty who teach in Rosemead’s APA-accredited graduate programs. The undergraduate program is appropriate preparation for graduate study in psychology, counseling, social work, or related fields, but it is not itself a clinical credential or a path to licensure.
• S. in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: An online undergraduate program in biblical studies and Christian apologetics. This program connects to Biola’s distinctive philosophical apologetics tradition; the university is home to nationally known evangelical philosophers including William Lane Craig (Research Professor of Philosophy) and J.P. Moreland (Distinguished Professor of Philosophy), both of whom have shaped contemporary Christian apologetics literature widely.
• S. in Business Management: An online bachelor’s in business management through the ACBSP-accredited Crowell School of Business.

All three online bachelor’s programs use a 7-week asynchronous course format with year-round enrollment, designed around working-adult schedules. The 7-week format produces faster completion timelines than traditional 15- or 16-week semester structures.

Online Master’s Programs

Biola’s online master’s catalog spans education, theology, intercultural studies, and ministry leadership. Specific programs include multiple graduate degrees in education (with various tracks for both California-licensed and out-of-state educators), Christian ministry leadership programs, intercultural studies programs, and theology degrees through the Talbot School. The M.A. in Christian Ministry and Leadership offers a distinctive Korean Track designed specifically for Korean-speaking ministry leaders, an unusual program offering reflecting Biola’s substantial Korean-American student community and Southern California’s significant Korean Christian population.

Online Doctoral Programs

Biola offers three fully online doctoral programs:

• D. in Educational Studies: Research-focused doctorate for students pursuing academic, research, or senior-leadership careers in Christian higher education or related fields.
• D. in Educational Studies: Practitioner-focused doctorate for working educators pursuing senior administrative or instructional leadership roles.
• D. in Intercultural Studies: Research doctorate in cross-cultural ministry, missions, and intercultural Christian leadership through the Cook School of Intercultural Studies.

These doctoral programs are unusual in the Christian online university market. Most competitors offer EdD programs but fewer offer fully online research-track Ph.D. options. Prospective doctoral students should verify specific dissertation requirements, cohort vs. asynchronous structure, and residency expectations before committing, since doctoral programs vary substantially in their actual delivery model even when nominally described as online.

California-Resident-Only Programs

Several Biola online programs are available only to students physically residing in California due to California-specific licensure or credentialing requirements. These include the Multiple Subject Credential, Single Subject Credential, Child Development Permits, Induction/Clear Credential programs, and Special Education credential programs through the School of Education. Out-of-state students pursuing teacher licensure should look at programs aligned with their own state’s specific licensure requirements.

Cost of Attending Biola

Online Undergraduate Tuition

Biola’s online undergraduate tuition is $446 per credit, applied uniformly across all three online bachelor’s programs. For a 120-credit bachelor’s degree without transfer credits, total tuition would be $53,520; for a degree completion student transferring 60 credits, remaining tuition would be $26,760. The institution markets this rate as approximately one-third of traditional residential tuition, which is accurate: residential undergraduate tuition runs $1,849 to $2,041 per credit hour, or $48,984 to $51,375 per academic year for full-time students.

In the Christian online university market, Biola’s $446 per credit rate is competitive but not the lowest. For comparison: Harding University’s residential undergraduate per-credit rate is $843; Liberty University’s online undergraduate rate is approximately $390-$455 per credit depending on program; SNHU’s rate is $330 per credit; WGU uses a flat-rate model at approximately $4,270 per six-month term. Biola’s online rate sits in the middle of this competitive landscape and is meaningfully lower than what Biola charges residential students.

Residential Undergraduate Tuition

For students considering Biola’s residential undergraduate experience rather than online programs, total cost of attendance (including tuition, room, board, and fees) runs approximately $67,442 per year. Average financial aid package is $27,449, covering roughly 56 percent of the full tuition amount, with 95 percent of undergraduates receiving aid. Average net price after aid is approximately $39,993 per year. These residential figures place Biola among the more expensive Christian universities, well above Harding (~$39,686 total cost) and somewhat above Lipscomb (~$62,296 total cost). The residential experience is a meaningfully different decision than online enrollment and is outside the scope of this online review.

Graduate Tuition

Graduate tuition at Biola averages $704 per credit for most programs, with annual full-time graduate tuition of approximately $12,672. The Talbot School of Theology programs, Rosemead doctoral programs, and other specialized graduate programs have program-specific tuition rates that can vary above or below this average. Prospective graduate students should request specific program tuition schedules from Biola admissions before making enrollment decisions.

Financial Aid

Approximately 95 percent of enrolled undergraduates receive grants or scholarships, with average aid of $27,449. Biola participates in federal Pell Grants, federal student loans, and other standard financial aid programs. The institution is not a Yellow Ribbon Program participant in the same scale as some larger Christian universities, but does support veterans through standard GI Bill processes.

For complete guidance on filing the FAFSA as an online student: FAFSA for Online Students: What to Know Before You Apply.

Outcomes Data

Biola’s institution-wide outcomes are above average for private Christian universities, though most published data reflects residential undergraduate students rather than online students specifically.

Metric	Biola	Context
Freshman retention rate	84%	National average ~68% for 4-year institutions
6-year graduation rate	69%	Above national average of ~60%
Acceptance rate	60-69%	Moderately selective
Total enrollment	~5,400-5,800	Mid-size private university
Carnegie classification	Doctoral/Professional	Top tier of US institutions
US News ranking tier	Top-tier National University	Consistent multi-year recognition
Institutional accreditation	WSCUC (since 1961)	Same as Stanford, USC, UC system

The retention and graduation figures reflect residential and graduate students combined. Online-specific completion data is less well-published, which is consistent with the broader online higher education market: most institutions do not publish separate retention and completion metrics for fully online cohorts. Prospective online students should request specific online program completion rates from Biola admissions before enrolling.

For program-level outcomes data on any institution: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Who Is Biola University Online Built For?

Biola Online serves specific student populations particularly well, and the cost structure, religious positioning, and program mix produce a meaningful student-fit profile.

Strong Fit

Biola Online is well-suited for several specific student profiles:

• Working professionals who specifically value evangelical Christian academic integration and want one of the most explicit faith-academic integration approaches available. The required 30-credit Bible and theology coursework for all undergraduates is more demanding than the faith-integration approaches at most peer Christian universities, and students who specifically want this depth find Biola distinctive.
• Students pursuing Christian apologetics, philosophy, or theology credentials who want to study within the academic tradition shaped by William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, and the broader Biola philosophy and apologetics community. The B.S. in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics connects directly to this institutional strength.
• Adult learners pursuing degree completion in psychology, business management, or biblical studies who can take advantage of the $446-per-credit online rate, year-round 7-week course format, and credit transfer policies. The online tuition is approximately one-third of Biola’s residential rate, which produces meaningful affordability for the right candidate.
• Korean-speaking Christian ministry leaders pursuing the M.A. in Christian Ministry and Leadership Korean Track. This program is genuinely uncommon and serves a specific population that few alternatives target directly.
• Doctoral candidates in education or intercultural studies who specifically want a Christian-integrated research-track Ph.D. program with online delivery. Most online doctoral options at Christian universities are EdD programs; Biola’s research Ph.D. options are less common.
• California residents pursuing teacher licensure through programs that align with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing requirements. The Multiple Subject and Single Subject credential programs are designed for California licensure specifically.

Less Strong Fit

Biola Online is less well-suited for several other student profiles where alternatives produce better outcomes:

• Students prioritizing the broadest possible online program catalog. Biola’s online catalog is intentionally focused on three undergraduate areas (psychology, biblical studies, business management) plus targeted graduate offerings. Students wanting wide selection across many fields will find more options at Liberty (600+ programs across modalities) or SNHU (200+ programs).
• Students seeking the lowest possible cost. SNHU at $330 per credit and WGU’s flat-rate model at approximately $8,540 per year produce lower total costs than Biola’s $446 per credit for most program areas.
• Students who specifically do not want explicit evangelical faith integration in their academic experience. Biola’s required theology coursework, doctrinal statement, and faith integration approach are demanding rather than peripheral. Students who prefer secular academic experience or a less explicitly evangelical environment should consider public online options or less-doctrinally-specific Christian alternatives.
• Students seeking AACSB business school accreditation specifically. Biola’s Crowell School of Business holds ACBSP, not AACSB. Students prioritizing AACSB should consider ASU Online (W.P. Carey holds AACSB), Indiana Kelley Direct, University of Illinois iMBA, and other AACSB-accredited online MBAs.
• Students seeking online clinical psychology training that leads directly to licensure. Biola’s online psychology program is at the bachelor’s level and is non-clinical. The APA-accredited Rosemead doctoral programs are residential, not online. Students seeking online clinical psychology pathways should look at limited APA-accredited options, most of which require substantial in-person residency components even at programs marketed as online.
• Out-of-state students pursuing California-restricted teacher credential programs. The Multiple Subject, Single Subject, and Special Education credential programs are available only to California residents.

How Biola Compares to Other Online Options

For prospective students considering Biola Online, several other institutions cover overlapping space and deserve direct comparison.

Christian-Affiliated Online Universities

Biola’s most direct competitors for students prioritizing Christian academic integration are Liberty University, Regent University, and to a lesser extent Harding and Lipscomb. Each has different distinctive characteristics:

Liberty University: Liberty is a much larger institution (more than 100,000 students total) with the broadest programmatic accreditation portfolio of any private university in the country, including CACREP counseling, CAEP education, ABET engineering, ABA law, and others. Liberty’s online program catalog is substantially wider than Biola’s. For students prioritizing program breadth, Liberty’s scale advantage is meaningful. Biola’s distinctive strengths over Liberty include the APA-accredited Rosemead doctoral programs (residential only), the Talbot School of Theology’s evangelical philosophy and apologetics tradition, and the Los Angeles location. Liberty University Online College Review.

Regent University: Regent is a private Christian university in Virginia Beach with approximately 10,200 total students and roughly 81 percent online enrollment. Regent’s identity is similarly oriented toward evangelical Christian academic integration, though with a distinct institutional history (founded by Pat Robertson) and a stronger emphasis on graduate programs in counseling, divinity, education, and law. Regent’s online catalog is meaningfully broader than Biola’s at the master’s and doctoral levels. Students choosing between Biola and Regent often consider regional preference (Southern California vs. Virginia), specific program availability, and the differences in evangelical institutional identity. Regent University Online College Review.

Harding and Lipscomb: Both Churches of Christ-affiliated universities, with different denominational positioning than Biola’s interdenominational evangelical identity. Harding is meaningfully less expensive (online MBA under $20,000 vs. Biola does not market a comparable online MBA program). Lipscomb has CACREP-accredited counseling, while Biola does not offer a fully online master’s-level counseling program. Students prioritizing specific Churches of Christ denominational fit should consider these alternatives over Biola.

Secular Online Alternatives at Lower Cost

For students who don’t specifically prioritize Christian academic integration, secular online options often produce lower total cost and broader program selection.

SNHU: $330 per credit, more than 200 online programs, monthly start dates, NECHE regional accreditation. SNHU is the most directly comparable nonprofit alternative for students focused on cost and program selection rather than faith integration. Southern New Hampshire University Online College Review.

WGU: Flat-rate competency-based model at approximately $4,270 per six-month term (~$8,540/year). NWCCU regional accreditation. Strong fit for self-directed learners in business, IT, education, and healthcare. Western Governors University Online College Review.

Decision Framework for Specific Programs

Different Biola online programs deserve different evaluation approaches based on what’s available elsewhere and what Biola specifically provides.

If Considering the Online B.S. in Psychology

Biola’s online psychology bachelor’s at $446 per credit is reasonably priced for a Christian university psychology program with the Rosemead School of Psychology faculty connection. The program is appropriate preparation for graduate study but is not a clinical credential. Direct comparisons include SNHU’s online B.S. in Psychology ($330/credit, broader catalog), Liberty’s online psychology program (Christian-affiliated, similar pricing), and Regent’s online psychology program. Students prioritizing the Rosemead faculty connection and the Biola apologetics tradition will find Biola distinctive. Students prioritizing cost or program breadth will find alternatives more attractive.

If Considering the Online B.S. in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics

This program is one of Biola’s most distinctive online offerings. The connection to William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, and Biola’s broader philosophical apologetics tradition is unusual among online undergraduate biblical studies programs. Students pursuing apologetics-focused ministry, Christian academic preparation, or specific intellectual engagement with evangelical philosophy will find Biola’s program well-positioned. Direct comparisons at the bachelor’s level are limited; most apologetics programs are at the graduate level. Students should verify whether the bachelor’s program connects to specific Biola graduate apologetics programs they may pursue subsequently.

If Considering the Online B.S. in Business Management

The Crowell School of Business holds ACBSP accreditation, which is acceptable for most employer recognition but is one tier below AACSB. For students prioritizing the strongest possible business credential, AACSB-accredited online programs (ASU W.P. Carey, Indiana Kelley Direct, University of Illinois iMBA at the master’s level) would be stronger choices. For students prioritizing Christian-integrated business education at competitive online pricing, Biola’s program competes with Liberty’s online business programs, Regent’s MBA programs, and Harding’s online MBA (which is meaningfully less expensive at under $20,000 total).

If Considering the Korean Track Ministry Master’s

This program is genuinely distinctive. Few alternatives target Korean-speaking Christian ministry leaders specifically. Students within this population will find limited direct comparisons; the decision is primarily about whether Biola’s specific theological and ministry framework aligns with their goals.

If Considering Online Doctoral Programs

Biola’s Ph.D. in Educational Studies, Ed.D. in Educational Studies, and Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies are unusual fully online doctoral options at a Christian university. Direct comparisons include Liberty University’s doctoral education programs, Regent University’s doctoral programs, and secular online doctoral options at institutions like Walden, Capella, and various public university online doctoral programs. Students should compare specific dissertation requirements, residency expectations, time-to-completion data, and faculty research alignment before committing to any online doctoral program.

Bottom Line: Should You Enroll at Biola University Online?

Biola University Online occupies a distinctive position in the online higher education market: a WSCUC-accredited mid-sized private Christian university with explicit evangelical academic integration, an unusually focused online catalog at competitive online pricing ($446 per credit), Carnegie Doctoral classification and U.S. News top-tier National University recognition, and several genuinely distinctive program strengths (apologetics tradition with Craig and Moreland, Korean Track ministry program, Rosemead psychology faculty connection at the undergraduate level, fully online doctoral options in education and intercultural studies).

The cost positioning is interesting. Biola’s online tuition rate is roughly one-third of its residential rate, which makes online enrollment substantially more accessible than residential for the right candidate. The $446 per credit rate sits in the middle of the Christian online university competitive landscape, lower than Harding’s residential rate but above SNHU’s secular alternative.

Biola is a strong choice for working professionals who specifically value explicit evangelical academic integration with required theological depth (the 30-credit Bible/theology requirement is demanding rather than peripheral), who are pursuing programs Biola offers strongly (apologetics, biblical studies, evangelical-tradition psychology preparation, Korean Track ministry, online doctoral education or intercultural studies), or who specifically benefit from the Southern California regional positioning.

Biola is a less strong choice for students prioritizing the broadest possible online catalog (Liberty, SNHU, Regent are wider), the lowest possible cost (SNHU and WGU are cheaper), AACSB business accreditation specifically, online clinical psychology pathways leading directly to licensure (Biola’s online psychology is bachelor’s-level non-clinical; the APA-accredited Rosemead programs are residential), or out-of-state teacher credential programs.

The single most important practical step for any prospective Biola Online student: request specific program-level outcomes data from Biola admissions, compare against the same data for alternatives at SNHU, WGU, Liberty, Regent, and other Christian alternatives, and make the enrollment decision based on the specific program rather than on general institutional reputation. Biola’s distinctive strengths apply to specific programs and student profiles; the right candidate finds Biola exceptionally well-positioned, while a different candidate finds alternatives meaningfully more appropriate.

For the broader framework on planning an online degree as a working adult, see: The Complete Guide to Earning an Accredited Online Degree as an Adult Learner.

For the most affordable online colleges available in 2026, see: 12 Most Affordable Online Colleges in 2026.