Pacific University vs Willamette University

Pacific University and Willamette University, both esteemed private institutions in Oregon, offer distinct educational experiences. Pacific University, nestled in Forest Grove, boasts a higher acceptance rate (85%) compared to Willamette University's selective admissions (65%). While Willamette University's student body is slightly larger, both universities share a vibrant and diverse community. Pacific University excels in health professions, business, and education, while Willamette University shines in liberal arts, sciences, and law. With comparable graduation rates, both universities ensure their students are well-prepared for their chosen career paths. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' unique strengths and offerings, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Pacific University	Willamette University
Overview
Location	Forest Grove, Oregon	Salem, Oregon
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	80.0%	80.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.0%	79.6%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $39
SAT range	1090 - 1310	N/A
ACT range	19 - 27	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	8.0%
Students submitting ACT score	9.0%
Total number of applicants	2,266	3,680
Total number of admissions given out	2,063	2,930
Admitted students who chose to enroll	363	260
Yield rate	17.6%	8.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$62,348	$60,106
Average net price	$33,523	$37,400
Tuition	$48,928	$43,500
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,664 Meal plan: $6,228	Room/dormitory: $7,150 Meal plan: $6,650
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	96.0% Average amount $31,162	99.0% Average amount $30,413
Students receiving federal student loan	90.0% Average amount $5,415	50.0% Average amount $5,145
Students taking out private loans	10.0% Average amount $20,429	7.0% Average amount $15,973

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,741 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%	1,236 Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
Graduate students	2,010 Men 26.2% Women 73.8%	549 Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	61.2%	N/A
International students	3.8%	2.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,029	1,228
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Oregon Hawaii California Washington Colorado	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Psychology English Language and Literature Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Social Sciences Legal Profession Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	70.8%	72.0%
Dropout rate	29.0%	28.0%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $111,515 Year 2: $129,325 Year 3: $130,721 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $113,746 Year 2: $107,906 Year 3: $116,376 Optometry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $89,820 Year 2: $97,452 Year 3: $109,879 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $66,614 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $87,418 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $71,156 Year 2: $70,927 Year 3: $74,952 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,477 Year 2: $71,015 Year 3: $70,585 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,338 Year 2: $53,608 Year 3: $54,996 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,884 Year 2: $45,852 Year 3: $50,195 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,734 Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $45,266 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $43,418 Year 2: $44,468 Year 3: $42,720	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $66,562 Year 2: $73,530 Year 3: $85,115 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $53,741 Year 2: $49,102 Year 3: $65,240 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,509 Year 2: $39,909 Year 3: $57,544 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,011 Year 2: $36,848 Year 3: $48,905 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,615 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $41,516 Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,482 Year 2: $27,204 Year 3: $39,994 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,357 Year 2: $28,055 Year 3: $36,208 Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,508 Year 3: $33,257 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,292 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $32,785 Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,658 Year 3: $29,070

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

Pacific University

Alaska Pacific University