Pacific Lutheran University vs Samford

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) and Samford University are two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique educational experiences. PLU, located in the vibrant city of Tacoma, Washington, boasts a diverse student body and a strong commitment to sustainability. Samford, nestled in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, is known for its Christ-centered education and its beautiful campus. While both universities share a dedication to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Pacific Lutheran University	Samford University
Overview
Location	Tacoma, Washington	Birmingham, Alabama
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	79.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Evangelical	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	88.4%	83.9%
Application fees	$55	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $35
SAT range	1150 - 1376	1100 - 1290
ACT range	22 - 28	23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	11.0%	22.0%
Students submitting ACT score	6.0%	66.0%
Total number of applicants	3,220	4,217
Total number of admissions given out	2,846	3,537
Admitted students who chose to enroll	510	920
Yield rate	17.9%	26.0%
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)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$63,563	$53,100
Average net price	$23,568	$31,871
Tuition	$46,816	$34,410
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,330 Meal plan: $6,481	Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $5,110
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $34,413	99.0% Average amount $19,443
Students receiving federal student loan	45.0% Average amount $5,091	31.0% Average amount $5,320
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $15,835	6.0% Average amount $19,317

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,373 Men 36.2% Women 63.8%	3,607 Men 33.4% Women 66.6%
Graduate students	333 Men 27.6% Women 72.4%	2,151 Men 32.3% Women 67.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	73.0%
International students	1.3%	0.8%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,369	2,375
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Texas Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Legal Profession Business Education Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.4%	78.9%
Dropout rate	30.5%	20.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $109,542 Year 2: $120,880 Year 3: $122,995 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,811 Year 2: $99,380 Year 3: $104,909 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $86,528 Year 2: $91,363 Year 3: $88,884 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,304 Year 2: $52,941 Year 3: $67,171 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,217 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $64,364 Law (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $47,785 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $61,547 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,967 Year 2: $54,851 Year 3: $57,875 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,355 Year 2: $54,948 Year 3: $54,480 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,947 Year 2: $39,585 Year 3: $46,442 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,337 Year 2: $43,638 Year 3: $46,369

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Pacific Lutheran University vs Samford

Pacific Lutheran University

Samford University

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Tuition and Fees

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Academics

Outcome

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