Pacific Lutheran University vs Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) and Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii) are two distinct institutions of higher learning that offer unique educational experiences. PLU, a private Lutheran university located in Tacoma, Washington, boasts a diverse student body and a strong liberal arts tradition. BYU-Hawaii, a private university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is situated in Laie, Hawaii, and emphasizes a faith-based education. While both universities offer a range of academic programs, PLU has a higher acceptance rate and a more diverse student body, while BYU-Hawaii has a higher graduation rate and a stronger focus on religious studies. Explore the comparison table below to discover more about these two universities and determine which one aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	Pacific Lutheran University
Overview
Location	Laie, Hawaii	Tacoma, Washington
Campus setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	62.0%	79.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Mormon	Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	87.7%	88.4%
Application fees	$35	$55
SAT range	1075 - 1260	1150 - 1376
ACT range	21 - 27	22 - 28
Students submitting SAT score	15.0%	11.0%
Students submitting ACT score	54.0%	6.0%
Total number of applicants	1,324	3,220
Total number of admissions given out	1,161	2,846
Admitted students who chose to enroll	707	510
Yield rate	60.9%	17.9%
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	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$18,633	$63,563
Average net price	$13,585	$23,568
Tuition	$6,068	$46,816
Room & board	$8,034	Room/dormitory: $5,330 Meal plan: $6,481
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	73.0% Average amount $5,849	99.0% Average amount $34,413
Students receiving federal student loan	10.0% Average amount $3,910	45.0% Average amount $5,091
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $8,055	6.0% Average amount $15,835

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,893 Men 37.3% Women 62.7%	2,373 Men 36.2% Women 63.8%
Graduate students	N/A	333 Men 27.6% Women 72.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	38.8%	1.3%
Campus local/setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,070	1,369
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Liberal Arts Public Administration and Social Service Social Sciences Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	71.1%	69.4%
Dropout rate	11.7%	30.5%
Transferred out	16.5%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,549 Year 2: $44,170 Year 3: $42,900 Leisure and Recreational Activities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,234 Year 3: $28,173 Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,125 Year 2: $19,455 Year 3: $24,761 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $18,680 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $8,500 Year 3: N/A Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: N/A Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: N/A Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $17,846 Year 3: N/A Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $49,436 Year 3: N/A	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

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Pacific Lutheran University vs Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Pacific Lutheran University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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