- The Inkwell
- Washington
- Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WASuburb: largeZIP 98447Founded 1890
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1890
- Carnegie class
- Master's: medium programs
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.plu.edu
WashingtonReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
Pacific Lutheran University
Pacific Lutheran University is a private nonprofit university in Tacoma, Washington, with 2,401 undergraduates. It admits 78% of applicants, graduates 64% within six years and costs $20,652 a year after aid.
64%graduate
Admission rate78%
Retention82%
4-year graduation41%
Pell Grant share41%
Federal loans63%
$20,652net price / year
78%admission rate
1168average SAT
64%graduate in 6 years
$71,109median earnings, 10 yrs
$19,500median debt
#367 of 1,704 for earnings#913 of 1,739 for lowest net price#537 of 1,738 for graduation rate#804 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $64,176tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $53,096
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $53,096
- Average net price
- $20,652national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$13,627
$30,001–48,000$13,026
$48,001–75,000$16,022
$75,001–110,000$18,495
$110,001+$21,998
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 78%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1168
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 540–660
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 500–600
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 22–28
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college78%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college82%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college64%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college41%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 64%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 41%
- First-year retention
- 82%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 73%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $57,116
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $71,109middle 50%: $48,341–$95,602
- Median debt at graduation
- $19,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.1%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$95,602
Median, Pacific Lutheran University$71,109
Lower quarter$48,341
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 2,401
- Part-time
- 2.0%
- Women / men
- 64% / 36%
- Average age at entry
- 21.4
- First-generation students
- 30%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 41%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 12 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 70%
- Average faculty salary
- $8,581 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $12,280
- Endowment, end of year
- $131,845,000
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White45%
Hispanic19%
Black5.4%
Asian10%
Two or more races11%
U.S. nonresident4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander2.5%
Unknown1.1%
20 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Health professions27%
Business & management13%
Visual & performing arts8.9%
Biological & biomedical sciences6.7%
Parks, recreation & fitness6.1%
Social sciences5.2%
Psychology4.3%
Communication & journalism4.1%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in Washington
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitworth University Spokane, WA | $23,009 | 67% | $64,055 |
| Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA | $25,419 | 55% | $71,277 |
| University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA | $32,507 | 69% | $71,918 |
| Whitman College Walla Walla, WA | $29,486 | 75% | $70,813 |
| Walla Walla University College Place, WA | $27,786 | 58% | $67,140 |
| Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA | $25,472 | 56% | $70,376 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longwood University Farmville, VA | $20,773 | 62% | $55,653 |
| University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, SD | $21,417 | 64% | $59,404 |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, OH | $21,193 | 63% | $52,001 |
| Lee University Cleveland, TN | $21,034 | 62% | $47,741 |
| Milligan University Milligan, TN | $20,000 | 62% | $57,255 |
| Otterbein University Westerville, OH | $20,189 | 61% | $59,196 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 236230. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q3439925.