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Pacific Lutheran University Teaching Programs

Pacific Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Tacoma, WA. The Suburbs Of A Large City provides a peaceful environment close to urban amenities.

Pacific Lutheran University Rankings

PLU is featured in these rankings for teaching programs at the bachelors level:

Ranking	Rank	Among
Overall Quality	#10 of 82	State — Washington
Overall Quality	#57 of 667	Region — Far Western
Overall Quality	#253 of 4,630	Nationwide

Where Is Pacific Lutheran University?

Contact information for PLU can be found below.

	Contact Details
Address:	12180 Park Ave South, Tacoma, WA 98447-0003
Phone:	2535357411
Website:	www.plu.edu/
Admissions:	www.plu.edu/admission/
Financial Aid:	www.plu.edu/financial-aid/

How Do I Get Into PLU?

You can apply to PLU online at: www.plu.edu/admission/first-year/

PLU is classified as Less Selective (70-85%) for admissions.

Admission Requirements for PLU

This is what PLU looks for in applicants:

Requirement	Status
Secondary School Record	Required
Secondary School GPA	Required
Recommendations	Considered but not required
Admission Test Scores (SAT/ACT)	Considered but not required

How Hard Is It To Get Into PLU?

PLU admits 78%, which means it is highly accessible. Take time to make sure you submit all the requested materials and prepare the application in full.

Of those admitted, 14% choose to enroll — a modest enrollment yield, suggesting many admitted students choose other institutions.

Average Test Scores

15% of admitted students submitted SAT scores and 2% submitted ACT scores.

When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile of admitted students at PLU, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 540 and 660. Math scores were between 500 and 600.

Combined SAT scores ranged from 1040 to 1260. ACT Composite scores for admitted students at PLU ranged between 22 and 28.

Selectivity by Gender

Acceptance rates at PLU can differ by gender.

Gender	Applicants	Admitted	Acceptance Rate
Men	1,978	1,460	74%
Women	2,885	2,330	81%

Can I Afford Pacific Lutheran University?

The average net price after aid at PLU is $21,370. Cost varies significantly based on your financial situation since net price varies by income group.

Tuition & Fees

Category	Cost
In-State Tuition	$50,096
In-State Fees	$820
Out-of-State Tuition	$50,096
Out-of-State Fees	$820
Total In-State Tuition & Fees	$50,916
Total Out-of-State Tuition & Fees	$50,916

Financial Aid

Across all aid types, 26% of students at PLU receive some form of financial aid (622 students).

Approximately 94% of students at PLU receive grant or scholarship aid, averaging $38,262 per student.

35% of students receive federal Pell Grants, averaging $5,551.

Student Loan Debt

44% of PLU undergraduates take out federal student loans, averaging $11,353 per year.

Pacific Lutheran University Undergraduate Student Diversity

There are 548 students enrolled at PLU. PLU is classified as a 1,000 - 4,999 institution by enrollment size. Its Carnegie Classification is Master’s Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs.

Gender Diversity

Of the 2,350 undergraduate students at PLU, approximately 36% are male and 64% are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

The racial-ethnic breakdown of Pacific Lutheran University undergraduate students is as follows.

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Students
Asian	244
Black or African American	129
Hispanic	451
White	1,043
American Indian/Alaska Native	16
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	58
Two or More Races	267
Non-Resident	105

Geographic Diversity

The top 5 home states of first-time undergraduate students at PLU break down as follows.

State	First-Time UG Students
Washington	449
Hawaii	18
Oregon	16
California	10
Colorado	5

Additionally, approximately 4.5% of undergraduate students are non-resident from outside the United States.

Pacific Lutheran University Graduate Student Diversity

344 of PLU’s students are in graduate programs. The highest graduate-level award offered is Doctor’s degree.

Gender Diversity (Graduate)

Among graduate students at PLU, approximately 26% are male and 74% are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity (Graduate)

The racial-ethnic breakdown of Pacific Lutheran University graduate students is as follows.

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Students
Asian	39
Black or African American	21
Hispanic	40
White	196
American Indian/Alaska Native	1
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	3
Two or More Races	26
Non-Resident	8

Online Learning at Pacific Lutheran University

PLU offers online programs for students who need flexibility.

222 undergraduate students at PLU took at least one online class — of those, 1 took all of their classes online.

At the graduate level, 32 students took at least one online class and 10 took all classes online. Distance education is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Teaching Programs at Pacific Lutheran University

Below are the teaching majors are available at PLU, showing degrees awarded by level in the most recent reporting year.

Program	Bachelor’s	Master’s	Doctorate	Total
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	22	37	—	59
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	13	—	—	13

Academic Programs at Pacific Lutheran University

PLU offers 21 distinct academic programs.

The highest level of award offered is Doctor’s degree.

Institutional Profile

PLU maintains an open admission policy: No. Credit transfer:

• AP credits: Implied no
• Dual enrollment credits: Yes
• Life experience credits: Implied no

References

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)

More about our data sources and methodologies.