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PennWest California

16 Reviews

Salary Score

Bachelor's

 32

Master's

 37

Doctoral

N/A

63% of 16 students said this degree improved their career prospects
75% of 16 students said they would recommend this school to others
By the OnlineU team | Updated 2/13/2023

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FAQs

PennWest California — previously known as California University of Pennsylvania — is a public institution outside of Pittsburgh. It offers 53 online degree programs, including 7 associate, 18 bachelor's, 24 master's, and 4 doctoral degrees. PennWest also offers several online graduate certificate programs. All of its online programs are available throughout PennWest's colleges of arts and humanities, natural sciences and engineering technology, business, education, social science, and health sciences. 

Find an Online Degree:

Salary Score for Online Degrees at PennWest California

Bachelor's Degrees

Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies Not Reported $51,279 76
Health and Physical Education/Fitness $27,000 $30,069 64
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $16,515 $64,369 45
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $24,475 $29,535 35
Business Administration, Management and Operations $26,000 $36,191 25
Social Sciences, General $24,935 $28,609 25
Criminal Justice and Corrections $24,250 $29,293 21
Computer and Information Sciences, General $25,000 $44,734 21

Master's Degrees

Health and Physical Education/Fitness $30,750 $42,906 59
Educational Administration and Supervision $27,265 $56,913 54
Social Work $40,480 $42,875 35
Education, General $30,750 $46,741 33
Social Sciences, General $29,987 $41,793 33
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Not Reported $45,252 31
Business Administration, Management and Operations $29,315 $50,198 17
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $33,783 $78,275 17
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Not Reported $38,248 11
Special Education and Teaching $29,854 $38,898 6
Applied Mathematics Not Reported $50,089 6
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Not Reported $39,786 Not Reported

FAQs About PennWest California

Is PennWest California Online?


Yes, PennWest California is online through PennWest Global. It has dozens of degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels that distance learners can complete 100% remotely. For example, online bachelor's degrees span various fields and industries — from accounting and criminal justice to exercise science and social work. 

Where is PennWest University Located?


PennWest University is located in California, Pennsylvania, about an hour outside Pittsburgh. However, students can complete one of PennWest's online degree programs from anywhere. 

Is PennWest California Accredited?


Yes, PennWest California is accredited. 

To provide the most trustworthy results, OnlineU only includes accredited online institutions on its site. 

Specifically, PennWest is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This favorable accreditation status signifies that MSCHE finds PennWest's financial practices sound and that its academic programming meets federal quality standards.

What Is PennWest California Known For?


PennWest California is known for its Four-Year Graduation Plan. This success plan provides the support and tools students need to help them stay on track toward graduation. Benefits include priority registration and scheduling, advising, individual attention, and access to the DegreeWorks tool, so students can track their own progress and create alternate degree paths in order to see how their credits may transfer or which courses are still needed.

Which Degrees at PennWest California Provide the Highest Earnings for Graduates?


The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard shows that PennWest California's bachelor's degrees in registered nursing, computer and information sciences, electrical engineering technologies, and legal research provide the highest earnings to alumni. Graduates earn median annual salaries of approximately $67,300, $63,200, $57,300, and $50,300, respectively. 

Additionally, OnlineU's proprietary Salary Score ranks colleges by how much their alumni earn compared to graduates with the same degree nationwide. PennWest has a bachelor's salary score of 32 (out of 100) and 37 for its master's degrees. Its bachelor's degree in legal research has a Salary Score of 76.

What Is the Acceptance Rate at PennWest?


According to College Scorecard, PennWest has a high 94% acceptance rate. While it considers entrance exam scores during the admissions process, they are not required. However, admitted students who submit scores generally have combined SAT scores between 930 and 1120 and ACT scores between 17 and 23. 

What Are the Admission Requirements for PennWest California?


Although individual degree programs may have additional requirements, PennWest's admission requirements for first-year applicants generally include the following:

  • An application
  • A $30 application fee
  • Official high school transcripts or GED
  • Official college transcripts, if transferring credits
  • Military transcripts, if applicable
  • Some optional materials include the following:
  • SAT/ACT scores, which may help with English and math placement
  • Letters of recommendation
  • college essay or personal statement

If you're still exploring schools, we've identified some of the most popular online colleges to help with your search.

Student Reviews

Student Reviews

Write a Review 

Grad Student

Reviewed: 2/24/2022

Degree: Exercise Science

Underwhelming. Not sure if it is the course materials, online environment, professors, departments, or just the institution as a whole but this program is NOT worth the paper my degree is printed on. Absolute waste. Stuck it out because when I realized that this program was not worth it, transferring would have been costly in both time and money. Basically, I was stuck there. Not to mention, "professors" barely communicate with students so asking for letters of recommendation seemed ridiculous. Most... Read More

Jane

Reviewed: 9/27/2020

Degree: Criminal Justice

This is not a real Ph.D program. The professors in the program have social work or law degrees or masters of laws. Only a few actually have doctoral degrees in criminal justice. In fact, the department chair only has a law degree from Cooley. After a couple of classes I saw it for what it was: police officers and probation officers who want to be called “doctor” but not really work for it with a real Ph.D program. I cannot say that the doctor of criminal justice is worth your time. You will be disappointed... Read More

ZinCarlaH

Reviewed: 5/31/2019

Degree: Liberal Arts

Teachers and staff alike are amazing to work with. They will listen to your needs and help guide you to what's right and wrong. I did have a great relationship with all my tutors and staff, always on task providing help and they do listen. When I went to CALU for the first time for my graduation day, some of the staff members I used to speak to online, made the time to come and congratulate me the day of my graduation and I am for ever thankful for that.

Anonymous

Reviewed: 11/10/2018

Degree: Information Technology

If you are looking for an online degree related to Computer Science do not go to Calu. I had classes where teachers do not submit grades on assignments for months. This made it hard for me to know how well I was progressing in the class. That same class the professor did not respond to my emails or discussion board questions for over a month. In my major related courses, the professor would always push you to ask questions on the discussion board but would give vague and short answers that did not... Read More

Exercise Science Grad Student

Reviewed: 8/11/2017

Degree: Exercise Science

The Exercise Science program can be very demanding, but in a very good way. It really pushes you to know your field well. The professors were very knowledgeable and always answered my questions in a timely manner, especially since the program I was in was an online program. That said, be prepared to do a lot of work, but know that it will help you understand your field better while also helping fine tune your skills in the area of exercise science. My experience with CAL U was exceptional and I would... Read More

Olet

Reviewed: 3/18/2015

Degree: Sports Management

Helped me understand the business side of sports. Good pace and helpful information given during the courses. The workload prepares you for what you will face in the real world. I would recommend this school to anyone. Also to anyone who needs a flexible schedule.

KSFields

Reviewed: 3/16/2015

Degree: Health Education

This was my first experience with online education! I work full-time & appreciated the gentle prompts to sign up for classes. Staff was always available to answer questions about educational requirements, registration or financial concerns. The customer service was impeccable and I always received a response from someone within 24 hours, even if I had contacted the wrong department! It was almost as if their goal was to make me their number one priority! Instructors were no less magnificent & were... Read More

Jeremy L.

Reviewed: 3/12/2015

Degree: Teaching

I have not even begun this program yet, but have been impressed with the level of communication I've encountered concerning the application process. It has been quite some time since I've done this -- and for some of us "old-timers" this can be a confusing process (!) and the staff has been very helpful so far! I am looking forward to the program...

Jamie B

Reviewed: 3/12/2015

Degree: Conflict Resolution

Professor are helpful and don't mind helping out students. The campus is nice and clean. The food is pretty good. However the construction can make t a little confusing to get around. Sometimes the education department can be a little disorganized, but over all they do a good job.

Yoshihiko Endo

Reviewed: 3/10/2015

Degree: Psychology

Hello, I'm Y. E., a fitness trainer in japan. I earned my master's degree of exercise science through CALU's Global Online. Programs are delivered in various forms such as discussion with your classmates and professors, audio files, power point presentation ... etc. Before the start of first semester, my biggest concern was that my first language is not English, however my professors and classmates kindly helped me to adapt to the new learning environment. I'm still struggling with the language difference,... Read More

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