Pacific Lutheran University

Basic Information

Type Private, Liberal Arts
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Lutheran (ELCA)
Population 1,500,000

Weather

Comfortable Days 130 (95% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 2,169 (5% 🌧️)
Days Without Precipitation 213 (9% ☔)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 2,558
Men / Women 33% / 67%
From State 84%
From Region 4%
Athletes 391 (16.6%)

Racial/Ethnic

White 45%
Hispanic 19%
Asian 11%
Mixed 11%
Black 6%
International 4%
Native American 3%

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Arts and Sciences 427 34% 56% 7% 4% 18% 1% $55,507 3 -0.65 22 95%
Computer Science 23 +2 70% 43% 17% 4% 26% 0% $91,002 12 -0.99 87 — — — — —
Chemistry 10 +4 40% 50% 10% 0% 0% 0% $64,182 18 -0.72 45 100% — — — —
Computational and Applied Mathematics 1 +2 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $66,698 1 -1.33 51 — — — — —
Geosciences 7 — 14% 86% 0% 0% 0% 0% $57,910 21 -0.65 28 91% — — — —
Mathematics 10 — 70% 30% 20% 10% 20% 0% $71,461 35 -0.52 62 97% — — — —
Physics 11 +1 55% 27% 18% 0% 18% 9% $66,432 9 -1.24 51 — — — — —
Biology 50 +1 26% 48% 16% 0% 18% 2% $54,627 7 -1.37 20 93% — — — —
Environmental Studies 7 +3 43% 57% 14% 0% 14% 0% $55,478 33 -0.40 22 — — — — —
Kinesiology 46 — 52% 67% 4% 0% 15% 0% $60,469 47 -0.15 35 98% — — — —
Economics 8 +2 62% 62% 0% 0% 12% 0% $57,710 1 -1.51 27 100% — — — —
Creative Writing 8 +2 12% 75% 0% 12% 0% 0% $41,945 5 -1.28 4 90% — — — —
English 9 +1 11% 78% 0% 0% 11% 0% $44,698 12 -0.94 5 — — — — —
Ethnic Studies 4 +4 0% 0% 0% 75% 25% 0% $50,981 23 -0.66 12 — — — — —
French 2 +1 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $66,679 81 +0.77 51 — — — — —
German — — — — — — — — $55,617 44 -0.22 22 — — — — —
History 10 +1 40% 80% 0% 0% 10% 0% $49,036 17 -0.77 10 100% — — — —
Interdisciplinary Studies 2 +5 0% 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% $53,875 35 -0.33 18 92% — — — —
Italian Studies — +2 — — — — — — $51,535 25 -0.61 13 — — — — —
Philosophy 5 +1 40% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $50,826 20 -0.80 12 — — — — —
Religion 8 +3 12% 62% 12% 0% 12% 0% $52,288 54 +0.18 15 — — — — —
Scandinavian Studies — — — — — — — — $51,291 25 -0.63 13 — — — — —
Spanish 10 +6 10% 20% 0% 0% 80% 0% $32,636 0 -2.27 2 100% — — — —
Anthropology 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $39,248 0 -1.60 3 88% — — — —
Communication Studies 31 — 29% 52% 3% 10% 13% 6% $56,132 33 -0.54 23 94% — — — —
International/Global Studies 16 +3 19% 75% 0% 0% 6% 0% $60,541 18 -0.64 35 — — — — —
Political Science 10 +4 50% 60% 0% 10% 20% 0% $61,762 22 -0.77 38 95% — — — —
Psychology 32 — 16% 41% 6% 6% 31% 0% $52,672 38 -0.36 15 92% — — — —
Social Work 19 +1 11% 32% 0% 5% 53% 0% $60,503 91 +0.86 35 91% — — — —
Sociology 8 +4 38% 38% 12% 0% 0% 0% $49,919 22 -0.63 11 94% — — — —
Art History 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $47,224 37 -0.36 7 100% — — — —
Music 26 — 42% 81% 0% 0% 8% 4% $36,538 9 -1.10 2 84% — — — —
Studio Art 17 — 35% 59% 12% 0% 24% 0% $47,224 54 +0.04 7 100% — — — —
Theatre 23 +1 30% 65% 4% 13% 9% 0% $39,585 29 -0.47 3 100% — — — —
Criminology 12 +1 33% 42% 0% 0% 17% 0% $58,647 47 -0.17 30 — — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Business 94 52% 53% 12% 2% 13% 4% $71,662 49 -0.31 63 98%
Business Administration 94 — 52% 53% 12% 2% 13% 4% $71,662 48 -0.31 63 98% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Education 27 7% 70% 11% 0% 19% 0% $71,134 47 +2.67 62 97%
Elementary Education 18 — 6% 61% 11% 0% 28% 0% $68,706 97 +2.44 56 96% — — — —
Music Education 9 — 11% 89% 11% 0% 0% 0% $75,990 100 +3.14 71 100% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Nursing 201 15% 41% 18% 6% 15% 1% $85,891 83 -0.63 82 99%
Nursing 201 — 15% 41% 18% 6% 15% 1% $85,891 25 -0.63 82 99% — — — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $55,911
ROI Percentile 50th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 82%
4-Year Graduation Rate 42%
6-Year Graduation Rate 69%
Transfer-Out Rate 24%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Health Sciences 33.0% 247 22% 46% 16% 5% 15% 1% $81,157 67 -0.54 78 99% —
Social Sciences 15.6% 117 23% 49% 3% 6% 23% 2% $56,411 41 -0.31 24 93% —
Business & Economics 13.6% 102 53% 54% 11% 2% 13% 4% $70,568 28 -0.40 61 98% —
Arts 10.1% 76 33% 72% 5% 4% 11% 1% $44,663 18 -0.14 5 95% —
Humanities 7.7% 58 17% 62% 3% 7% 21% 0% $46,069 5 -0.92 6 97% —
Life & Natural Sciences 6.7% 50 26% 48% 16% 0% 18% 2% $54,627 6 -1.37 20 93% —
Physical Sciences & Math 5.2% 39 49% 46% 13% 3% 10% 3% $65,622 14 -0.82 48 96% —
Computer Science 3.1% 23 70% 43% 17% 4% 26% 0% $91,002 18 -0.99 87 — —
Education 2.4% 18 6% 61% 11% 0% 28% 0% $68,706 97 +2.44 56 96% —
Professional 1.6% 12 33% 42% 0% 0% 17% 0% $58,647 22 -0.17 30 — —
Agriculture & Food Science 0.9% 7 43% 57% 14% 0% 14% 0% $55,478 30 -0.40 22 — —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Physical Sciences & Math $0.4M #471 56% — — — — —
Computer Science $0 #525 — — — — — —
Engineering $0 #449 — — — — — —
Agriculture & Food Science — — — — — — — —
Business & Economics — — — — — — — —
Education — — — — — — — —
Health Sciences — — — — — — — —
Humanities & Social Sciences — — — — — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences — — — — — — — —
Total $0.4M #591 56% — — — — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Sports NCAA D3

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Football 103 $1.3M $949K $367K
Baseball 44 $370K $305K $64K
Track & Field (outdoor) 40 $154K $154K $0
Soccer 37 $222K $209K $12K
Basketball 17 $265K $228K $37K
Swimming 17 $237K $237K $0
Cross Country 10 $58K $58K $0
Golf 8 $73K $61K $11K
Total 223 $2.7M $2.2M $493K
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Soccer 37 $258K $228K $30K
Track & Field (outdoor) 34 $99K $99K $0
Softball 30 $342K $276K $66K
Rowing 22 $165K $154K $11K
Basketball 16 $225K $202K $22K
Lacrosse 16 $195K $195K $0
Volleyball 16 $234K $234K $0
Swimming 15 $129K $129K $0
Cross Country 8 $44K $44K $0
Golf 4 $48K $40K $7K
Total 168 $1.7M $1.6M $137K
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Football 103 $1.3M $949K $367K
Soccer 74 $480K $437K $43K
Track & Field (outdoor) 74 $254K $254K $0
Baseball 44 $370K $305K $64K
Basketball 33 $491K $431K $60K
Swimming 32 $366K $366K $0
Softball 30 $342K $276K $66K
Rowing 22 $165K $154K $11K
Cross Country 18 $103K $103K $0
Lacrosse 16 $195K $195K $0
Volleyball 16 $234K $234K $0
Golf 12 $121K $102K $18K
Total 391 $5.8M $5.3M $447K

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 88%
Yield (non-ED) 14%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 88% 88% 88%

This college’s Common Data Set does not break down admissions by applicant demographics, so in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants share one Regular Decision rate.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 17%
SAT Range 1040 – 1260
SAT Math Range 500 – 600
SAT RW Range 540 – 660