Pacific Lutheran University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. generous financial aid cuts net price well below sticker.
About This School
Pacific Lutheran University is a private nonprofit institution located in Tacoma, Washington with approximately 2,350 undergraduate students enrolled. Pacific Lutheran University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 81%. The average net price after financial aid is $21,370 per year. The graduation rate is 71%, and the typical graduate earns $53,500 within 10 years of enrollment.
Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) is a private Lutheran university in Parkland, Washington, United States. It was founded by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants in 1890. PLU is sponsored by the 580 congregations of Region I of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. PLU has approximately 2,700 students enrolled. As of 2023, the school employs approximately 238 full-time professors on the 156-acre (63 ha) woodland campus.
This small Lutheran university in the Tacoma area offers a genuinely accessible price point — median debt at graduation is just $17,074, which is well below average — and the campus community tends to be tight-knit with a faith-informed mission that resonates with the right student. The numbers tell a somewhat mixed story, though: a 71% graduation rate and 79% freshman retention suggest a meaningful share of students don't finish, which is worth probing in your campus visit. Worth considering if you want a small private school experience at a reasonable cost and aren't chasing a high-earning career field, but ask hard questions about academic support and what's driving that attrition.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2,350 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Washington
University of Washington
Seattle, WA · Public
Washington State University
Pullman, WA · Public
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · Public
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA · Public
Bellevue College
Bellevue, WA · Public
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA · Public
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
All school names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this page is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with CollegeHelpGuide.