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 2,401 undergraduate students enrolled. Pacific Lutheran University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 78%. The average net price after financial aid is $19,589 per year. The graduation rate is 69%, 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
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 10% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
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 (2,401 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Washington
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Bellingham, WA · Public
Central Washington University
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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.
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