Pacific Lutheran University 

School Name and Address

Contact for more information

	Pacific Lutheran University
	12180 Park Avenue South
	Tacoma, WA 98447
Main telephone	253.531.6900
Main telephone (TTY)	253.535.7411
Website	https://www.plu.edu/
Request more information	https://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/request-info/

General Information 

General information

Public or private	Private
Type of school	University
Denomination	Lutheran
Date founded	1890
Degrees offered	Certificate or diploma, Bachelor's, Master's, First professional, Other advanced degrees
School accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Specialized accreditation	American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMF), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission, Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Council on Social Work Education(CSWE), National Association of Schools of Music(NASM), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), American Chemical Society Certification
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act eligible training provider	Some programs; see program descriptions
School mascot	Lutes

School setting

Setting	Suburban (within commuting distance of a large city)
Closest major metropolitan area	Seattle
Population of city the school is in	199,637
Distance from campus to city center	Seven miles
Public transportation to campus	Pierce Transit & other regional transit buses, light rail, and commuter train; see https://www.plu.edu/iss/life-at-plu/daily-transportation/  for more information.
Student parking on campus	Yes; $50 per semester for residents and commuter students
Campus size	156 acres
County	Pierce

School visits

Visitor information website	https://www.plu.edu/admission/visit/
School visit availability	The PLU Admission Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and most Saturdays during the school year, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. To experience a typical day as a PLU student, try to avoid weekends, vacation times, and the first and last two weeks of each term. Call and staff can plan your visit to coincide with campus activities like concerts, plays, and athletic events. If you are planning on attending a PLU class, choose a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday visit. There are four check-in times available (for planning purposes, these visits are about a half-day long): 9:00 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 12:15 p.m. If you are not planning on attending a PLU class, you can choose any weekday (plan for about three hours for the visit), and there are five check-in times available: 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 2:15 p.m.
Contact to set up school visit	Office of Admission; 253.535.7152; visit@plu.edu

Additional information

https://www.plu.edu/about/

Student Body

Enrollment

Number of full time, freshmen men	221
Number of full time, freshmen women	428
Total number of full time freshmen	649
Number of part time, freshmen men	0
Number of part time, freshmen women	0
Total number of part time freshmen	0
Total number of freshmen men	221
Total number of freshmen women	428
Total number of freshmen	649
Number of full time, undergraduate men	973
Number of full time, undergraduate women	1,739
Total number of full time undergraduates	2,712
Number of part time, undergraduate men	30
Number of part time, undergraduate women	27
Total number of part time undergraduates	57
Total number of undergraduate males	1,003
Total number of undergraduate females	1,766
Total number of undergraduate students	2,769
Total enrollment	2,769

Racial-ethnic background of undergraduate students

American Indian/Alaskan Native	Less than 1%
Asian	9%
Black	4%
Hispanic	11%
Multiracial	9%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	1%
White	58%
Race/ethnicity unknown	1%
These figures reflect responses of people who chose to indicate their racial-ethnic background. All categories except Hispanic represent non-Hispanic students. International students are not included in these figures so they may not add up to 100 percent.

Out-of-state students

Percentage of students from out of state	22%
Number of states and territories represented	43

International students

Percentage of students from outside the US	3%
Number of countries represented	26

Age of students

Percentage of students 25 or older

9%

Costs 

Annual costs for full-time undergraduate students
(Costs are for the 2019-2020 academic year. Full-time costs are based on 34 credits per year.)

In-state tuition	$43,264
Out-of-state tuition	$43,264
Fees	$410
Books and supplies	$900
Room and board (live on campus)*	$10,876
Board and transportation (live with parents)	$4,560
* Room and board costs may vary by housing facility and number of meals in meal plan
Cost information website	https://www.plu.edu/student-financial-services/2019-20-cost-information/

Tuition rates vary by

Undergraduate rates are consistent but graduate programs vary by program

Tuition refund policy

See https://www.plu.edu/student-financial-services/refunds/  for information on refunds.

Tuition payment plans available

https://www.plu.edu/student-financial-services/payment-options/

Tuition waivers available to

Tuition waiver application website

https://www.plu.edu/personnel-manual/benefits/tuition-assistance/

Financial Aid 

Contact for counseling or more information

Michael Frechette
Dean of Student Financial Services
frechemt@plu.edu
253.535.7161
Financial aid office website	https://www.plu.edu/student-financial-services/
Scholarship list website	https://www.plu.edu/student-financial-services/types-of-aid/scholarships-and-grants/

Applying for financial aid

Submit these forms

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Financial aid awarded to undergraduates
(Financial aid data are for the 2017-2018 academic year.)

Average financial aid package awarded to freshmen	$33,458
For freshmen, percentage of need* met by aid package	90%
Average amount of financial aid awarded to freshmen
Loan	$3,707
Scholarship or grant	$12,886
Work study	$5,307
Average financial aid package awarded to undergraduates (including freshmen)	$32,319
For all undergraduates, percentage of need* met by aid package	86%
Average amount of financial aid awarded to undergraduates
Loan	$5,443
Scholarship or grant	$11,539
Work study	$7,343
* "Need" as defined for financial aid results from a formula based on a student's situation. The formula considers family and student income, family size, unusual expenses, and the school's costs.

Who received financial aid

Number of freshmen who applied for aid	496
Number of freshmen who received aid	423
Number of undergraduates who applied for aid	2,183
Number of undergraduates who received aid	1,971

Loans

Percentage of students who took out loans to pay for school

66%

Financial aid programs at this school

Loans

Federal PLUS loans (for parents)

Federal Stafford loans (subsidized)

Federal Stafford loans (unsubsidized)

Nursing loans

Need-based scholarships and grants

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Privately-sponsored scholarships and grants

School-sponsored scholarships and grants

State-sponsored scholarships and grants

Merit-based scholarships and grants

School-sponsored scholarships in academics

School-sponsored scholarships in art

School-sponsored scholarships in special achievements

School-sponsored scholarships for special characteristics

Student employment

Work study

Veteran's benefits

Veteran's benefits, such as the GI Bill, are honored

Admissions 

Contact for more information

Melody Ferguson
Director of Admission
admission@plu.edu
Brandon Bruan
Associate Director of Admission
bruanbj@plu.edu
800.274.6758
Admissions office website	https://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/
Electronic application website	https://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/apply/

Admissions contact for minority students

Melannie Denise Cunningham

Director of Multicultural Recruitment

melannie.cunningham@choose.plu.edu

253.535.8716

Entrance difficulty

For incoming students	Moderately difficult (about 85% of all applicants accepted)
Groups or programs with a different entrance difficulty level	School of Nursing; see http://www.plu.edu/admission/first-year/apply/nursing-conditional-admission.php  for information on requirements.

Last year's applicants

Number of male applicants	1,444
Number of male applicants accepted	1,121
Number of male applicants who enrolled	221
Number of female applicants	2,296
Number of female applicants accepted	1,863
Number of female applicants who enrolled	428
Total number of applicants	3,740
Total number of applicants accepted	2,984
Total number of applicants who enrolled	649

Education required for admission

High school education

High school diploma required and GED accepted.

Application dates

Admission is available	Fall term, spring term
Fall* application deadline	Continuous
Notification date for fall admission applicants	Continuous
Fall transfer application deadline	Continuous
Notification date for fall transfer applicants	Continuous
* Application dates for winter, spring, or summer term admission are likely to be different.

Application requirements

Online application available	https://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/apply/
Application fee	$40
Application fee waived	For applicants who apply online
Submit these items:
Application	Required for all students
High school GPA	2.5, recommended, but not required
High school transcript or GED certificate	Required for all students
Interview	Required for some students
Letters of recommendation	1, required for all students
Written essay or personal statement	Required for all students

Exams

Required exams

SAT or ACT

Factors considered by schools when evaluating applicants

High school GPA	Important
Difficulty of high school courses	Very important
Standardized test scores	Important
High school class rank	Important
Recommendations	Important
Application essay	Very important
Character/personal qualities	Important
Interview	Considered
Talent or ability	Important
Extracurricular activities	Important
Level of applicant's interest	Not considered
Religious affiliation/commitment	Considered
Work experience	Considered
Related to a school graduate	Considered
First generation college student	Considered
Racial/ethnic group	Considered

Other admissions information

Accepted students can defer admission for a period of time

Transfer student admissions

Admission requirements	Application, essay, transcripts, recommendation
Age limit on courses to be transferred	No limit

Credits accepted for transfer students

American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) general

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)

Military service

Test scores of freshmen who enrolled at the school

SAT evidence-based reading and writing
Under 400	5%
400 - 499	9%
500 - 599	45%
600 - 699	38%
700 - 800	8%
Average SAT evidence-based reading and writing score	590
SAT math
Under 400	0%
400 - 499	10%
500 - 599	53%
600 - 699	31%
700 - 800	6%
Average SAT math score	580
ACT score
Under 12	4%
12 - 17	4%
18 - 23	42%
24 - 29	37%
30 - 36	17%
Average ACT score	24

High school performance of students who enrolled at this school

Average GPA (on 4.0 scale)

3.71

Undergraduate retention and graduation

Percentage of freshmen who returned for their sophomore year	83%
Percentage of full-time students who complete their bachelor's degree:
In four years or less	57%
Between four and five years	9%
Between five and six years	3%

Academics 

Degrees offered

Certificate or diploma

Bachelor's

Master's

First professional

Doctorate

Graduate certificate

Other advanced degrees

School catalog

School catalog website	https://www.plu.edu/catalog/
Academic index website	https://www.plu.edu/admission/majors/

Faculty and instruction

Academic calendar	4-1-4
Grading system	Letter grades (A, B, etc.), pass/fail; maximum of eight-semester hours can be pass/fail (only four hours toward general requirements)
Number of faculty on campus	269
Student faculty ratio	15:1

Graduation requirements

Required number of credits for a bachelor's degree	128 semester hours
All students must meet:
Core curriculum or school-wide requirements
Foreign language requirement
Internship requirement	Depends on major
Math or science requirement
Senior project requirement	For all students

Attendance options

Evenings

On-line/distance learning

Part time

Summer school

Weekends

Evening and weekend courses for some graduate programs only

Optional academic programs

Double major

Graduate courses open to undergraduates

Honors program

Student-designed major

3-2 degree programs

3-2 degree programs (three-year bachelor's degree and two-year master's degree) are available
Engineering	Master's at Columbia University (New York), Washington University in St. Louis

Off-campus study

Domestic exchange available
At these US schools or through this program	Spring Break: The Borderlands/La Frontera (Texas/New Mexico); Hawaii: The Religions of East Asia; Holden Village, WA: Environmental Ethics; Neah Bay, WA: Makah Culture Past and Present; Tacoma, WA: January Term on the Hilltop
Study abroad available
In these countries	China, Mexico, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Trinidad & Tobago – Caribbean, Norway, Windhoek, Namibia, Spain, England, Nicaragua, Denmark, Netherlands, Ecuador, Italy, Martinique, Uganda, Uruguay
The above list includes PLU sponsored study away programs. We make every effort to support students wishing to participate in outside study away opportunities. Please see https://www.plu.edu/studyaway/  for more information.

Military officer training (ROTC)

Army ROTC

https://www.plu.edu/rotc/

Alternative credit opportunities

Advanced Placement

Challenge Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Cooperative education

Independent study

International Baccalaureate

Internships

Computing

Computers on campus for student use

Computer lab available to students

Computer network can be accessed from dorm rooms

Computer network can be accessed from off campus

Online registration for classes

https://www.plu.edu/its/services/#section  - computers and software

Libraries

Main library name

Robert A. L. Mortvedt Library

Other special programs

The University offers professional development and certificate programs through the Continuing Education Department for non-matriculated individuals. See https://www.plu.edu/continuing-ed/  to view available programs, application, cost, and registration information.

Sports 

Intercollegiate and intramural sports available

	Intercollegiate				Intramural
Sport	Men		Women		Men	Women
Baseball	Div 3
Basketball	Div 3		Div 3		Yes	Yes
Cheerleading			Club
Climbing					Yes	Yes
Cross-country running	Div 3		Div 3
Disc golf					Yes	Yes
Dodgeball					Yes	Yes
Flag football					Yes	Yes
Football	Div 3
Golf	Div 3		Div 3
Hiking					Yes	Yes
Indoor soccer					Yes	Yes
Kayaking					Yes	Yes
Kickball					Yes	Yes
Lacrosse	Club		Club
Outdoor adventure					Yes	Yes
Racquetball					Yes	Yes
Rock climbing					Yes	Yes
Sailing					Yes	Yes
Soccer	Div 3		Div 3		Yes	Yes
Softball			Div 3
Swimming	Div 3		Div 3
Tennis	Div 3		Div 3
Track and field	Div 3		Div 3
Ultimate Frisbee	Club		Club
Volleyball			Div 3		Yes	Yes
Water polo					Yes	Yes
Wrestling			Club
$ indicates scholarships offered. For intercollegiate sports, the division is given when that information is available. “Yes” is used if a sport is offered, but the school has not specified the division. “Club” indicates intercollegiate competition is at the club level. For intramural sports, “Yes” indicates a sport is available.

Athletic association membership

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Sports website URL	https://golutes.com/

Student Life 

Student activities

Choral groups

Drama or theater groups

Newspaper

Orchestra

Radio station

Student government

TV station

https://www.plu.edu/student-life/co-curricular-programs/

Clubs and associations

Number of student clubs and associations with open membership	68
Largest clubs and organizations on campus	Chemistry Club, Delta Iota Chi, Black Student Union, APISA, Na Hoaloha O Hawaii
Student clubs and associations website	https://www.plu.edu/clubs/

Housing 

Contact for more information

Department of Residential Life Office
rlif@plu.edu
253.535.7200
Housing office website	https://www.plu.edu/residential-life/

Campus housing

Percentage of students who live on campus	44%
Percentage of students on campus on a typical weekend	75%
School owns or operates housing
Highest year that students are required to live on campus	Sophomore
Housing availability for first year students	Guaranteed
Housing options	Co-ed, women only
Housing is available for students with disabilities
Dorms require a key or code to enter

Campus housing for graduate students

School owns or operates housing for	Married graduate students, single graduate students
Housing availability for single graduate students	First come, first served
Housing availability for married graduate students	First come, first served
Housing application deadline	May 1

Student Services

Academic services for all students

Academic advising

English as a Second Language (ESL) program

Tutoring

Drop in labs, language conversation tables

Health and legal services available on campus for all students

Health clinic

Low-cost health insurance

Psychological counseling

Other services for all students

Orientation

Placement testing

Services for students with disabilities

Simone Smith
Coordinator, Disability Support Services
dss@plu.edu
253.535.8242
Disabilities services website	https://www.plu.edu/dss/
Designated parking
Housing
Interpreters for the deaf
Learning aids
Readers for the blind
Registration assistance
Services for students with learning disabilities
Tutors
Books on CD or DVD

Services for women and families

Women's center

Yes

Additional services available for these groups

International students

Minorities

Veterans

Campus security

24-hour emergency phone and alarms on campus

Campus patrolled by trained security personnel

Late night transport service

Controlled dormitory access, surveillance camera monitoring, emergency notification system that includes indoor and outdoor speakers as well as text, phone, and e-mail notification

Career Services

Contact for more information

Career Connections
career@plu.edu
253.535.7459
Career services website	https://www.plu.edu/career/

Percentage of recent graduating class that

Had a full-time job offer within six months of graduation	65%
Went directly to graduate or professional school	20%
Was counseled by the career services office	54%

Career services offered

Alumni networking and mentoring

Career counseling

Career interest testing

Career library

Job bank

Job fairs

Job interview preparation

Job interviews

On campus recruitment by employers

Résumé preparation assistance

Résumé referral to employers

Employer site visits, Alumni Career Panels, Volunteer Alumni Career Advisers (Lute Link)

Graduate Study 

Contact for more information

Marie Boisvert
Director of Graduate Admissions
gradadmission@plu.edu
800.274.6758
Graduate school website	https://www.plu.edu/admission-graduate/

Enrollment

Number of undergraduate men	1,003
Number of undergraduate women	1,766
Total number of undergraduate students	2,769
Total enrollment	2,769

Costs for full-time graduate students
(Costs are for the 2019-2020 academic year. Full-time costs are based on 38-semester credits per year.)

In-state tuition*	$33,250
Out-of-state tuition*	$33,250
Books and supplies	Varies by program
* Tuition may vary by program
Tuition per semester credit hour varies by program. Tuition ranges from about $730 to $1,260 per semester credit. Most programs have cohort pricing. Tuition cited above is for the one-year MA in Education degree.

Graduate admissions

Admission requirements	Varies by program
Application deadline	Varies by program
Application fee	$55