Pacific Union College » About PUC

Founded in 1882, Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian college with a strong liberal arts tradition. Located in the heart of California’s Napa Valley, the college offers a fully accredited four-year program and emphasizes academic excellence, authentic spiritual experience, and service to local and worldwide communities.

PUC's Mission Statement

Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist learning community offering an excellent Christ-centered education that prepares its students for productive lives of useful human service and uncompromising personal integrity.

Academics

• The college has been recognized as a National Liberal Arts College by U.S. News & World Report since 2009. Previously, PUC was ranked in the top tier of the Western Regional Colleges category for 17 consecutive years.
• PUC has been maintained uninterrupted accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) since 1951. In 2011, WSCUC renewed PUC’s full accreditation through spring 2018. The college is also accredited by the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities.
• The college employs over 90 full-time professors and offers over 70 degrees and programs, including associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• A 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio provides an excellent level of academic support and mentoring.
• PUC seniors score well above the national average in Major Field Tests (MFTs), with 95th percentile rankings or above for the departments of mathematics and psychology in 2015.
• PUC has a long tradition of high acceptance rates to medical and dental schools and graduate programs. Alumni have attended Loma Linda University, UC Davis School of Law, UCLA, Yale, and other prestigious institutions.
• Faculty includes Fulbright Scholars and National Science Foundation grant winners.

Faith and Service

• Dozens of daily Bible studies, prayer groups, and worship opportunities take place across campus.
• Students participate in over 20 community outreach programs to serve local neighbors and those in need around the world.
• The on-campus PUC Church fills up multiple times during the week as the campus family gathers together to worship.
• Faith and learning are integrated in the classroom, where Christian professors nurture students on their academic and spiritual journeys.
• PUC has sent over 1,300 student missionaries to serve in countries including Chile, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the Marshall Islands, and South Korea.
• School breaks are ideal times to serve for students who engage in long-term projects in Nicaragua, Fiji, Brazil, and Arizona.

Location

• PUC is the Napa Valley’s only four-year college. The destination campus is located 70 miles north of San Francisco and 60 miles east of the Pacific Ocean.
• The campus was recognized as the most beautiful college in the nation by Newsweek magazine.
• The college maintains over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails.
• The Albion Retreat and Learning Center, PUC’s campus on the Mendocino Coast, serves as a home base for classes and retreats.
• PUC’s Northern California location provides easy access to recreation and entertainment in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, Lake Tahoe, and beyond.

Student Body

• More than 1,600 undergraduate students enrolled at PUC during the 2015-2016 school year.
• In its 2015 Best Colleges report, U.S. News & World Report ranked PUC the second most ethnically diverse National Liberal Arts College in America.
• Freshman profile (2015):
• Average GPA: 3.32
• Average ACT score: 21
• Average SAT score: 1479
• PUC’s largest academic programs are nursing, biology, business administration, communication, and visual arts.
• There are over 27,000 PUC alumni worldwide.

Campus Life

• PUC is a residential campus with the majority of students living in one of seven residence halls.
• Students participate in over 30 cultural, academic, and special interest clubs.
• PUC’s recreational sports program is ranked as the best in the nation by College Prowler.
• Social activities include concerts, theater, club events, weekend trips, and Student Association events.
• The college’s varsity teams play in the California Pacific Conference, a division of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Financial Aid

• 100 percent of PUC students receive financial aid.
• PUC awarded $40 million in financial aid during the 2015-2016 school year, including merit-based scholarships and need-based grants.
• During the 2015-2016 school year, the average out-of-pocket payment for a PUC student and their family was $6,810.

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