Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, WA · Private Nonprofit

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80.5%
Acceptance Rate
1130
Median SAT
$66,990
Median Earnings
4,139
Applicants

Acceptance Rate Trend

Up 0.7 percentage points since 2018

Applications & Admissions

Yield Rate Trend

Percentage of admitted students who enroll

Most Popular Majors (2023)

Degrees awarded in latest year

Major Popularity Over Time

How top majors have grown or declined

Earnings by Major

This school vs. national range (2yr after graduation)

Computer and Information Scien... $69,338
$8,500 $155,297
Registered Nursing, Nursing Ad... $68,875
$8,500 $155,297
Business Administration, Manag... $46,556
$8,500 $155,297
Teacher Education and Professi... $45,082
$8,500 $155,297
Teacher Education and Professi... $44,551
$8,500 $155,297
Mathematics $43,426
$8,500 $155,297
Psychology, General $37,054
$8,500 $155,297
Geological and Earth Sciences/... $36,848
$8,500 $155,297
This school National avg

Historical Admissions Data

Each row shows the admissions cycle for that academic year. Applicants is the total number of students who applied for freshman admission. Admitted shows how many received acceptance letters. Rate is the acceptance rate (admitted ÷ applicants) — lower percentages indicate more selective schools. Yield measures the percentage of admitted students who actually enrolled — a high yield (above 50%) suggests the school is a top choice for admitted students, while lower yields indicate students often choose other options. SAT shows the 25th-75th percentile range, meaning the middle 50% of enrolled students scored within this range. Data is sourced from IPEDS, the federal database where all US colleges report annually.

Year Applicants Admitted Rate Yield
2023 4,139 3,333 80.5% 18.7%
2022 3,334 2,964 88.9% 17.8%
2021 3,220 2,846 88.4% 17.9%
2020 3,306 2,853 86.3% 20.6%
2019 3,679 3,165 86.0% 18.9%
2018 3,740 2,984 79.8% 21.8%
2017 3,629 2,736 75.4% 22.6%
2016 3,770 2,896 76.8% 23.4%
2015 3,623 2,737 75.5% 23.5%

Graduate Outcomes

Median Earnings (10 years)
$66,990
Median Earnings (6 years)
$52,212
Median Debt
$22,578
6-Year Graduation Rate
71.0%

Tuition & Costs (2023)

Tuition
$45,440
Fees
$1,410
Room & Board
$11,150
Total Cost of Attendance
$58,000

What You'll Actually Pay

Net price after grants/scholarships by family income

$0-30k income $13,847
$30-48k income $13,035
$48-75k income $18,653
$75-110k income $24,898
$110k+ income $29,289

Popular Majors

  • 1 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
  • 2 Business Administration, Management and Operations
  • 3 Health and Physical Education/Fitness
  • 4 Biology, General
  • 5 Psychology, General

Highest Earning Majors

  • Computer and Information Sciences, General $69,338
  • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $68,875
  • Business Administration, Management and Operations $46,556
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods $45,082
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas $44,551

Student Demographics (2023)

Total Enrollment 2,737
International 4%
Women 64%
Race/Ethnicity
White 47%
Hispanic 18%
Asian 11%
Black 5%

Financial Aid (2023)

Grants are free money; loans must be repaid

Receive Grants 96%
Avg: $36,072 free money/year
Pell Grant Recipients 33%
Federal aid for <$60k income families
Have Federal Loans 44%
Avg: $11,074
School's Own Grants 99%
Avg: $33,257 from school funds