SPU Seattle vs Alaska Pacific University

Seattle Pacific University and Alaska Pacific University, while sharing the "Pacific" in their names, offer distinct educational experiences. Seattle Pacific, a private Christian university in Seattle, Washington, boasts a 75% acceptance rate and is known for its strong liberal arts and sciences programs. Alaska Pacific, a private university in Anchorage, Alaska, has a higher acceptance rate of 85% and excels in environmental science, sustainability, and outdoor studies. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but their student bodies differ: Seattle Pacific has a larger student population with a higher percentage of female students, while Alaska Pacific has a smaller student body with a more balanced gender ratio. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates.

	Alaska Pacific University	Seattle Pacific University
Overview
Location	Anchorage, Alaska	Seattle, Washington
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Quarter
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	68.0%	82.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	96.0%	91.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $25	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	N/A	1050 - 1300
ACT range	N/A	20 - 28
Students submitting SAT score		21.0%
Students submitting ACT score		11.0%
Total number of applicants	504	4,359
Total number of admissions given out	484	4,008
Admitted students who chose to enroll	40	580
Yield rate	8.3%	14.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$43,870	$53,766
Average net price	$19,830	$26,153
Tuition	$20,350	$35,100
Room & board	$8,300	Room/dormitory: $7,350 Meal plan: $6,054
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $16,403	99.0% Average amount $37,230
Students receiving federal student loan	37.0% Average amount $6,186	55.0% Average amount $5,468
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	5.0% Average amount $14,470

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	376 Men 21.8% Women 78.2%	2,640 Men 32.8% Women 67.2%
Graduate students	178 Men 29.2% Women 70.8%	803 Men 26.0% Women 74.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	26.8%
International students	0.4%	5.5%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	96	1,779
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Washington California Hawaii Oregon Colorado

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Psychology Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Liberal Arts	Education Psychology Health Professions Business Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	8:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	22.2%	65.9%
Dropout rate	30.6%	21.2%
Transferred out	44.4%	12.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: N/A Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,766 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $84,369 Year 2: $81,333 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $107,437 Year 2: $94,408 Year 3: $97,823 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $67,680 Year 2: $66,077 Year 3: $92,654 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $74,811 Year 2: $70,456 Year 3: $84,509 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,224 Year 2: $71,463 Year 3: $76,324 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $75,938 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,417 Year 2: $56,802 Year 3: $66,654 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,558 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $65,753 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,574 Year 2: $49,875 Year 3: $65,360 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,899 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $63,623 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,789 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $61,011

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