by our College Data Analytics TeamHere is what you can expect to pay at Pacific Lutheran University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
Want a specific number? Skip ahead to any section using the links below:
The cost of attendance at Pacific Lutheran University is about $62,921.00 per academic year.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $52,254.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $10,667.00 |
| Total cost | $62,921.00 |
| That is 92% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $62,921.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$42,870.00 |
| Net price | $20,051.00 |
| That is 39% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $62,921.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$48,850.00 |
| Net price | $14,071.00 |
| That is 57% below the national average net price. | |
| Go deeper on the components with the tuition & fees page plus room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at a recent average of 2.7% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Freshman year | $14,456.00 | $20,599.00 | $64,642.00 |
| Senior year | $15,675.00 | $22,336.00 | $70,092.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $60,239.00 | $85,840.00 | $269,369.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $22,949.00 | $32,702.00 | $102,620.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $693.00 | $988.00 | $3,100.00 |
| Total amount paid | $83,188.00 | $118,542.00 | $371,989.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Freshman year | $14,456.00 | $20,599.00 | $64,642.00 |
| Senior year | $14,851.00 | $21,163.00 | $66,410.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $29,307.00 | $41,762.00 | $131,052.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $11,165.00 | $15,910.00 | $49,926.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $337.00 | $481.00 | $1,508.00 |
| Total amount paid | $40,472.00 | $57,672.00 | $180,977.00 |
Read more in the net-price section.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $19,589.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $21,370.00 |
Net price is far from uniform: lower-income families typically pay much less after aid. Below, average net price is broken out by family income:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $13,847.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $13,035.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,653.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,898.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $29,289.00 |
Estimate your specific net price using the school’s Pacific Lutheran University Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
Typical debt at graduation from Pacific Lutheran University comes to $17,074.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,500.00 |
| 25th | $10,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $17,074.00 |
| 75th | $29,876.00 |
| 90th | $37,314.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt detail.
Student debt at graduation is not evenly distributed across income levels. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $16,500.00 |
| Middle income | $18,500.00 |
| High income | $16,750.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,625.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $16,500.00 |
First-gen students at Pacific Lutheran University leave with $1,125.00 in extra median debt compared with continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Pell vs non-Pell comparisons surface how debt breaks down by need.
The Pell-versus-non-Pell median debt difference at Pacific Lutheran University works out to $2,258.00. This school is flagged by the Department of Education for Pell-related debt inequity.
The default-rate category at Pacific Lutheran University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.1% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at Pacific Lutheran University add up to $226,692,845.00 covering 11,349 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 134 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $24,237.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 2 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,625.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veteran aid breakdown.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through Pacific Lutheran University, consider the following:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.