Pacific Lutheran University

www.plu.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$49,472

5.67% growth from 2021

2022 Average Net Price

$24,825

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2022 Acceptance Rate

88.9%

3,334 Applicants

2022 Enrolled Students

2,633

91.9% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

71.8%

486 Graduates

About

Pacific Lutheran University is a higher education institution located in Pierce County, WA. In 2022, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Pacific Lutheran University were Registered Nursing (98 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (80 degrees), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (47 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $49,472, which is $25,476 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Pacific Lutheran University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 742 total borrowers.

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $49,472, which is $25,476 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,825.

In 2022, 97% of undergraduate students attending Pacific Lutheran University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 44% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$49,472

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at Pacific Lutheran University was $49,472. The cost of tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $25,476 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Pacific Lutheran University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,825

2022 Value

5.33%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 Pacific Lutheran University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,825. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of Pacific Lutheran University grew by 5.33%.

This chart compares the average net price of Pacific Lutheran University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,482

Room and Board

$942

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Pacific Lutheran University was of $11,482 in 2022. The cost of room and board increased by 2.98% between 2021 and 2022.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $942. The cost of books and supplies increased by 1.29% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Pacific Lutheran University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

97%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

44%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

97% of undergraduate students at Pacific Lutheran University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2021, when 97% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Pacific Lutheran University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Pacific Lutheran University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 742 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Pacific Lutheran University received 3,334 undergraduate applications in 2022, which represents a 3.54% annual growth. Out of those 3,334 applicants, 2,964 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 88.9% acceptance rate.

There were 2,633 students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022. 4% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Pacific Lutheran University has an overall enrollment yield of 17.7%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

88.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2022

2,964

Accepted Out of 3,334

In 2022, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Pacific Lutheran University was 88.9% (2,964 admissions from 3,334 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 88.4%. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of applicants grew by 3.54%, while admissions grew by 4.15%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Pacific Lutheran University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2022)

Scores Submitted (2022)

4% of enrolled first-time students at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Pacific Lutheran University had a total enrollment of 2,633 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University is 2,419 students and the part-time enrollment is 214. This means that 91.9% of students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Pacific Lutheran University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 51.3% White, 16.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 10.2% Two or More Races, 4.22% Black or African American, 1.86% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.722% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

91.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 2,633 students. The full-time enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University is 2,419 and the part-time enrollment is 214. This means that 91.9% of students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University are enrolled full-time compared with 67.6% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Pacific Lutheran University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

78%

2022 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Pacific Lutheran University was 78%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Pacific Lutheran University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Pacific Lutheran University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
1,351 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
439 enrolled students
Asian
294 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Pacific Lutheran University is 51.3% White, 16.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 10.2% Two or More Races, 4.22% Black or African American, 1.86% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.722% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 51.2% White, 17.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 13% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 45 students (1.71%) did not report their race.

Graduates

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Pacific Lutheran University is Registered Nursing (98 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (80 degrees) and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (47 degrees).

In 2022, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Pacific Lutheran University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (54 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (36 degrees), and History (21 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (209,608 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (203,641 people), Postsecondary teachers (198,735 people), Other managers (190,332 people), and Secondary school teachers (154,860 people).

The most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022 are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (54 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (36 degrees), History (21 degrees), English (35 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (9 degrees) (as of 2022).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (54 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (36 degrees), History (21 degrees), English (35 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (9 degrees) (as of 2022).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University are Elementary & secondary schools (496,993 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (396,961 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (193,275 people), Legal services (166,905 people), and Computer Systems Design (160,356 people).

Time to Complete

63%

100% Completion Time

71%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 63% of students graduating from Pacific Lutheran University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 71% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 72% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Hispanic or Latino Male

Highest Graduation Rate (80%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2022 at Pacific Lutheran University is Male and Hispanic or Latino (80% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
295 degrees awarded
White Male
162 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
61 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Pacific Lutheran University is white female (295 degrees awarded). There were 1.82 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (162 degrees).

Operations

Pacific Lutheran University has an endowment valued at nearly $123M, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of −5.87M (−4.77%) compared to the 0.773% average return (360k on 46.6M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2022, Pacific Lutheran University had a total salary expenditure of 86.8M.

Endowment

$123M

2022 Endowment

5.32%

decline from 2021

Pacific Lutheran University has an endowment valued at about $123M, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The endowment of Pacific Lutheran University declined 5.32% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $76.6M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Pacific Lutheran University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$44.2M

2022 Salaries

2.8%

growth from 2021

In 2022, Pacific Lutheran University paid a median of $44.2M in salaries, which represents 51% of their overall expenditure ($86.8M) and a 2.8% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 8.58% decline between 2020 and 2021, and a 0.456% decline between 2019 and 2020.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 36.1M (39.6% of overall expenditures).