- Acceptance rate: 78% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 540–660 reading and writing, 500–600 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 22–28 composite
- Average net price: $23,841 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Calculate your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Pacific Lutheran University reported: an acceptance rate of 78% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 22–28.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Pacific Lutheran University reviews each application.
Pacific Lutheran University GPA requirements
Pacific Lutheran University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Pacific Lutheran University hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Pacific Lutheran University acceptance rate
Pacific Lutheran University admitted 3,895 of 4,992 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 78%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Pacific Lutheran University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Tacoma, Washington, with 2,446 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Pacific Lutheran University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 540 | 610 | 660 |
| SAT Math | 500 | 550 | 600 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 25 | 28 |
| ACT English | 21 | 24 | 26 |
| ACT Math | 19 | 26 | 29 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1168 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Pacific Lutheran University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Pacific Lutheran University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $23,841 a year at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 3.0 GPA get you into Pacific Lutheran University?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Pacific Lutheran University admitted 78% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What SAT and ACT scores do Pacific Lutheran University students have?
The middle 50% of Pacific Lutheran University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 540–660 in reading and writing and 500–600 in math; ACT composite 22–28, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Does Pacific Lutheran University require the SAT or ACT?
No. Pacific Lutheran University is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 15% sent SAT scores and 2% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do you need to get into Pacific Lutheran University?
Pacific Lutheran University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
How many applicants get into Pacific Lutheran University?
Pacific Lutheran University's acceptance rate was 78% for fall 2024: it admitted 3,895 of 4,992 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Pacific Lutheran University hard to get into?
Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Pacific Lutheran University admitted 78% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How important is GPA for getting into Pacific Lutheran University?
A lot: Pacific Lutheran University requires high school GPA, high school record and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations, test scores and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does it matter at Pacific Lutheran University if a parent went there?
No. Pacific Lutheran University doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What is the average net price at Pacific Lutheran University?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $23,841 a year at Pacific Lutheran University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at Pacific Lutheran University?
Yes. Pacific Lutheran University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Pacific Lutheran University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Pacific Lutheran UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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