Pacific Lutheran University vs PUC-Angwin

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) and Pacific Union College (PUC) are two private Christian universities located in the Pacific Northwest. While both institutions offer a strong academic foundation and a vibrant campus community, they differ in several key aspects. PLU, situated in Tacoma, Washington, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to PUC's 68%. PLU also has a larger student body, with over 3,000 undergraduate students compared to PUC's approximately 1,200. In terms of popular majors, PLU offers a wider range of programs, including popular choices like business, nursing, and education, while PUC focuses primarily on liberal arts and theology. Additionally, PLU has a higher graduation rate (70%) than PUC (65%). To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore the table to discover which university aligns best
Pacific Lutheran University logo

Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific Union College logo

Pacific Union College

Overview

Location Tacoma, Washington Angwin, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 61.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Evangelical Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.4% 57.7%
Application fees $55
SAT range 1150 - 1376 N/A
ACT range 22 - 28 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 11.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0%
Total number of applicants 3,220 1,216
Total number of admissions given out 2,846 702
Admitted students who chose to enroll 510 130
Yield rate 17.9% 18.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $63,563 $55,246
Average net price $23,568 $22,767
Tuition $46,816 $31,101
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,330

Meal plan: $6,481
Room/dormitory: $5,112

Meal plan: $3,804
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $34,413
99.0%
Average amount $22,072
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $5,091
61.0%
Average amount $5,294
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $15,835
2.0%
Average amount $18,511

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,373
Men 36.2% Women 63.8%
825
Men 37.0% Women 63.0%
Graduate students 333
Men 27.6% Women 72.4%
4
Men 25.0% Women 75.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 21.1%
International students 1.3% 2.0%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,369 1,200
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Oregon Hawaii Nevada Arizona

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 69.4% 39.6%
Dropout rate 30.5% 6.0%
Transferred out N/A 53.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,084
  • Year 2: $92,632
  • Year 3: $86,573
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,051
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $79,254
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,659
  • Year 2: $68,875
  • Year 3: $71,075
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,461
  • Year 2: $54,053
  • Year 3: $64,188
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,494
  • Year 2: $45,082
  • Year 3: $52,405
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,050
  • Year 2: $46,556
  • Year 3: $51,610
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $49,858
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,589
  • Year 2: $34,420
  • Year 3: $47,617
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,575
  • Year 2: $35,420
  • Year 3: $46,377
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,674
  • Year 3: $45,113
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,597
  • Year 2: $92,410
  • Year 3: $107,830
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $50,701
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,215
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,250
  • Year 2: $31,839
  • Year 3: N/A

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