Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)

Your Opinion: Is this School Hard to Get Into?
You already voted!

PLU can be found in Tacoma, WA, a nonprofit private college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. Nearly 3,400 students are enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University.

An ACT or SAT exam may be required before applying to this school. Scores in the range of 1080 (25th percentile) - 1290 (75th percentile) for the SAT exam and between 24 (25th percentile) - 29 (75th percentile) for the ACT exam is common among applicants that get into PLU. Based on sampled GPA data collected and applied, it is estimated that the PLU average GPA range for accepted students is around 3.35 - 3.57. Roughly 90 percent of all applicant were admitted at PLU, and from those that were granted acceptance roughly 19 percent continued on to attend. You can get more information from the admissions office website at plu.edu.

Overall PLU Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020

86.0%

The overall acceptance rate for Pacific Lutheran University was reported as 86.0% in Fall 2020 with over 3,660 applications submitted to PLU. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently.

Accepted Applicants Profile

  • PLU ACT Scores: 24 - 29
  • PLU Average GPA: 3.35 - 3.57

How Hard Is It to Get into Pacific Lutheran University?

Applicant Selectivity: Medium

The applicant selectivity of PLU is about average, as determined by collecting standardized test scores e.g. ACT/SAT and high school average GPA ranges of students who were granted admissions from previous years.

Historical Trend and Acceptance Rate 2024 Projection

The historical trend chart shows acceptance rates from the previous years, from which we have projected the acceptance rate for the 2024-2025 school year. The overall acceptance rate trend for Pacific Lutheran University has been on an upward trend when compared to previous years.

Acceptance Rate By Year

  • 2016-2017: 76.8%
  • 2017-2018: 75.4%
  • 2018-2019: 79.8%
  • 2019-2020: 86.0%
  • Projected PLU Acceptance Rate 2024-2025: 75.4%

How Does PLU Compare?

86.0%
This School
56.7%
National Avg

The acceptance rate for Pacific Lutheran University is fifty-two percent higher than the national average of all colleges which is around 56.7%.

Nearby Similar College Acceptance Rates

SchoolAcceptance Rate
University of Puget Sound83.8%
Saint Martin's University95.9%
The Evergreen State College97.9%
Cornish College of the Arts73.5%
Seattle Pacific University90.6%

Admissions Rates & Enrollment Rates - Details

General Recommendations & Requirements for Admissions

  • High School GPA Scores are Required
  • School Records are Required
  • Submit Recommendation Letters are Required

Number of Applicants, Percent Accepted, and Enrolled Students (Fall 2020)

TotalMaleFemale
Applicants3,66337.3%62.7%
Admitted3,15236.1%63.9%
Enrolled59435.9%64.1%

Average ACT/SAT Scores of Applicants to PLU (Fall 2020)

SAT® SectionScore Range
Critical Reading550 - 650
Math530 - 640
Total Score1080 - 1290
ACT®Score Range
English23 - 31
Math22 - 27
Composite Score24 - 29
To learn more about the data and calculations that power this site, please visit our data discussion page.