Wisconsin Lutheran vs Pacific Lutheran University
Wisconsin Lutheran College and Pacific Lutheran University, while both rooted in Lutheran traditions, offer distinct educational experiences. Wisconsin Lutheran College, a private liberal arts college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, boasts a 99% acceptance rate and a student body of around 1,300 undergraduates. Pacific Lutheran University, a private liberal arts university in Tacoma, Washington, has a more selective admissions process with a 75% acceptance rate and a larger student body of over 3,000 undergraduates. Both institutions offer a range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors at Wisconsin Lutheran College including Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Nursing, while Pacific Lutheran University is known for its strengths in Biology, Business Administration, and Psychology. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these institutions' differences in tuition, graduation rates, student demographics, and more, and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() Pacific Lutheran University |
![]() Wisconsin Lutheran College |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Tacoma, Washington | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | 4-1-4 | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 79.0% | 80.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical | Evangelical |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 88.4% | 98.0% |
Application fees | $55 | |
SAT range | 1150 - 1376 | 1010 - 1170 |
ACT range | 22 - 28 | 21 - 28 |
Students submitting SAT score | 11.0% | 8.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 6.0% | 62.0% |
Total number of applicants | 3,220 | 1,363 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,846 | 1,336 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 510 | 274 |
Yield rate | 17.9% | 20.5% |
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 | Not required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $63,563 | $48,354 |
Average net price | $23,568 | $21,761 |
Tuition | $46,816 | $32,322 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,330
Meal plan:
$6,481
|
$11,050 |
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
99.0%
Average amount $34,413 |
100.0%
Average amount $22,728 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
45.0%
Average amount $5,091 |
80.0%
Average amount $5,281 |
Students taking out private loans |
6.0%
Average amount $15,835 |
18.0%
Average amount $13,586 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
2,373
Men 36.2% Women 63.8% |
1,031
Men 43.0% Women 57.0% |
Graduate students |
333
Men 27.6% Women 72.4% |
116
Men 27.6% Women 72.4% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Low
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | 29.2% |
International students | 1.3% | 0.7% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,369 | 731 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | Wisconsin Illinois Texas Louisiana Michigan |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 12:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Higher Learning Commission |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 69.4% | 61.0% |
Dropout rate | 30.5% | 8.6% |
Transferred out | N/A | 29.2% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
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.

























































































































































































