Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · Private four-year · Suburb: Large
2,393undergraduates
78%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$23,841average net price per year
71%graduate in 6 years
79%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 4,139
- Admitted
- 3,333
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Admit rate, women
- 84%
- Admit rate, men
- 76%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 19%
- First-year students
- 624
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 7%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 515-630
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 473-628
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 4%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 21-27
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Considered, not required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Considered, not required |
| Essay or personal statement | Required |
| Class rank | Considered, not required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Considered, not required |
| Work experience | Considered, not required |
| Legacy status | Considered, not required |
Majors
34 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Health professions and related programs (1)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Bachelor's (132 awarded)
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (1)
- Business Administration and Management, General Bachelor's (58 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (3)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- Fine/Studio Arts, General Bachelor's (21 awarded)
- Music, General Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Social sciences (5)
- Anthropology, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Criminology Bachelor's (17 awarded)
- Economics, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, General Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Sociology, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Biological and biomedical sciences (1)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Bachelor's (43 awarded)
Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology (1)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology Bachelor's (40 awarded)
Education (2)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Bachelor's (22 awarded)
- Music Teacher Education Bachelor's (13 awarded)
Physical sciences (3)
- Chemistry, General Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Physics, General Bachelor's (13 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (1)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Bachelor's (27 awarded)
Psychology (1)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (24 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (1)
- Computer Science Bachelor's (23 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (2)
- Creative Writing Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Public administration and social service professions (1)
- Social Work Bachelor's (18 awarded)
History (1)
- History, General Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (2)
- Computational and Applied Mathematics Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (13 awarded)
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies (2)
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Scandinavian Studies Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Natural resources and conservation (1)
- Environmental Studies Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (2)
- German Language and Literature Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General Bachelor's (4 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (1)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Philosophy and religious studies (2)
- Philosophy Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Graduate programs (9)
- Clinical Nurse Leader Master's
- Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling Master's
- Nursing Practice Doctorate (professional)
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other Master's
- Business Administration and Management, General Master's
- Management Science Master's
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other Master's
- Creative Writing Master's
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $50,964
- Housing and food on campus
- $12,446
- Books and supplies
- $762
- Other on-campus costs
- $2,665
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $66,837
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $66,837
- Total cost living at home
- $55,497
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $13,847 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $13,035 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $18,653 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $24,898 |
| Over $110,000 | $29,289 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 99%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 99%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $39,464
- Got a grant from the college
- 99%
- Average grant from the college
- $33,257
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 33%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 50%
- Average amount borrowed
- $7,220
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 51%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 70%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 71%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 70%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 71%
- Transferred to another college
- 12%
- Came back for year two
- 79%
| Pell grant students | 69% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 68% |
| Neither | 75% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 401 | 72% |
| Men | 216 | 69% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2 | 100% (small group) |
| Asian | 72 | 63% |
| Black | 20 | 65% |
| Hispanic | 66 | 68% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 8 | 50% (small group) |
| White | 371 | 74% |
| Two or more races | 65 | 72% |
| Race unknown | 5 | 60% (small group) |
| International | 8 | 50% (small group) |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 652 | 70% | 22% |
| Started here, part-time | 1 | 0% (small group) | 100% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 261 | 72% | 20% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 5 | 100% (small group) | 0% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 2,737
- Undergraduates
- 2,393
- Full-time undergraduates
- 2,308
- Part-time undergraduates
- 85
- Graduate students
- 344
- Students per faculty member
- 12 to 1
- First-year students from in state
- 80%
- From out of state
- 12%
- From other countries
- 7%
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 9%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 1%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 12%
| Women | 63% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1% |
| Asian | 11% |
| Black | 5% |
| Hispanic | 19% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 2% |
| White | 46% |
| Two or more races | 11% |
| Race unknown | 1% |
| International | 4% |
Campus life
- Setting
- Suburb: Large
- Address
- 12180 Park Ave South, Tacoma, WA, 98447-0003
- County
- Pierce County
- Type
- Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
- Highest degree
- Doctor's degree - professional practice
- Academic calendar
- Four-one-four plan
- Religious affiliation
- Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- football, basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Army ROTC, Study abroad, Teacher certification, Weekend or evening classes, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.