Pacific Lutheran University

www.plu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$46,816

3.03% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$23,568

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.955%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

88.4%

3,220 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

2,706

92.6% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

69.4%

444 Graduates

About

Pacific Lutheran University is a higher education institution located in Pierce County, WA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Pacific Lutheran University were Registered Nursing (94 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (65 degrees), and General Biological Sciences (44 degrees).

In 2021, 776 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Pacific Lutheran University. 68.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 31.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (460 degrees), 5.17 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (89 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $46,816, which is $23,632 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $46,816, which is $23,632 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $23,568.

In 2021, 97% of undergraduate students attending Pacific Lutheran University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 47% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$46,816

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Pacific Lutheran University was $46,816. The cost of tuition at Pacific Lutheran University is $23,632 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

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

Average Net Price

$23,568

2021 Value

7.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Pacific Lutheran University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $23,568. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Pacific Lutheran University grew by 7.1%.

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

$11,150

Room and Board

$930

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Pacific Lutheran University was of $11,150 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.52% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $930. The cost of books and supplies increased by 3.33% 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

47%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

97% of undergraduate students at Pacific Lutheran University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 1.04% with respect to 2020, when 96% 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.

0.955%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Pacific Lutheran University was 0.955%, which represents 7 out of the 733 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 3,220 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 2.6% annual growth. Out of those 3,220 applicants, 2,846 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 88.4% acceptance rate.

There were 2,706 students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University in 2021. 11% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Pacific Lutheran University has an overall enrollment yield of 17.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

88.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

2,846

Accepted Out of 3,220

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Pacific Lutheran University was 88.4% (2,846 admissions from 3,220 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 86.3%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 2.6%, while admissions declined by −0.245%..

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

11%

Submission Percentage (2021)

Scores Submitted (2021)

11% of enrolled first-time students at Pacific Lutheran University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Pacific Lutheran University had a total enrollment of 2,706 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University is 2,507 students and the part-time enrollment is 199. This means that 92.6% of students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Pacific Lutheran University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 54.5% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 10.9% Two or More Races, 3.55% Black or African American, 1.52% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.443% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (34.4%), followed by White Male (19%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (10.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (45.6%), followed by White Male (13.6%) and Asian Female (8.77%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

92.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 2,706 students. The full-time enrollment at Pacific Lutheran University is 2,507 and the part-time enrollment is 199. This means that 92.6% of students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% 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

79%

2021 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 79%. 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 (2021)

White
1,475 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
408 enrolled students
Asian
296 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Pacific Lutheran University is 54.5% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 10.9% Two or More Races, 3.55% Black or African American, 1.52% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.443% 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 52% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% 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, 49 students (1.81%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 288 more women than men received degrees from Pacific Lutheran University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Pacific Lutheran University is white (460 degrees awarded). There were 5.17 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (89 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Pacific Lutheran University is Registered Nursing (94 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (65 degrees) and General Biological Sciences (44 degrees).

In 2021, 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 Physical Sciences (39 degrees awarded), PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (13 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (10 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary teachers

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 Postsecondary teachers (173,108 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (162,379 people), Other managers (145,660 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (121,024 people), and Secondary school teachers (103,416 people).

The most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University in 2021 are Physical Sciences (39 degrees awarded), PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (13 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (10 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (42 degrees), and English (31 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

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 Surgeons, Media and communication workers, all other, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at Pacific Lutheran University are Physical Sciences (39 degrees awarded), PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (13 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (10 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (42 degrees), and English (31 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 (369,240 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (336,487 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (170,902 people), Computer Systems Design (127,136 people), and Legal services (101,610 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Pacific Lutheran University.

Most Common (2021)

Registered Nursing
94 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
65 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
44 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Pacific Lutheran University was Registered Nursing with 94 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Pacific Lutheran University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

244

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

532

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 244 degrees were awarded to men at Pacific Lutheran University, which is 0.459 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (532).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Pacific Lutheran University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 59 degrees were awarded to men at Pacific Lutheran University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.64 times more than the 36 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 81 degrees were awarded to men at Pacific Lutheran University in Registered Nursing, which is 6.23 times more than the 13 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

59%

100% Completion Time

69%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 59% of students graduating from Pacific Lutheran University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 69% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 69% 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.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (78.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Pacific Lutheran University is Female and White (78.4% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.676% of graduates (3 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
460 degrees awarded
Asian
89 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
77 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Pacific Lutheran University is white (460 degrees awarded). There were 5.17 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (89 degrees).

1.42% of degree recipients (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
324 degrees awarded
White Male
136 degrees awarded
Asian Female
65 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Pacific Lutheran University is white female (324 degrees awarded). There were 2.38 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (136 degrees).

Operations

Pacific Lutheran University has an endowment valued at nearly $130M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 29.8M (22.9%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, Pacific Lutheran University had a total salary expenditure of 80.9M. Pacific Lutheran University employs 69 Associate professors, 56 Assistant professors and 49 Professors. Most academics at Pacific Lutheran University are Female Associate professor (46), Male Professor (30), and Male Assistant professor (28).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pacific Lutheran University are: Management, with 93 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 78 employees, and Service with 74 employees.

Endowment

$130M

2021 Endowment

29%

growth from 2020

Pacific Lutheran University has an endowment valued at about $130M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Pacific Lutheran University grew 29% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $79.6M 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

$43M

2021 Salaries

8.58%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Pacific Lutheran University paid a median of $43M in salaries, which represents 53.2% of their overall expenditure ($80.9M) and a 8.58% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$13.4M

Instructional Salaries

186

Number of Employees

In 2021, Pacific Lutheran University paid a total of $13.4M to 186 employees working as instructors, which represents 31.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.3%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

69 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

93 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Pacific Lutheran University were Associate professor with 69 employees, Assistant professor with 56 employees, and Professor with 49 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Pacific Lutheran University were Management with 93 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 78 employees, and Service with 74 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female Associate professor
Male Professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Pacific Lutheran University was Female Associate professor with 46 employees, Male Professor with 30 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 28 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Pacific Lutheran University.