Covenant College vs. PLU

Should I go to Covenant College or Pacific Lutheran University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Covenant College or PLU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Covenant College vs. Pacific Lutheran University comparison
Covenant College Pacific Lutheran University College 3 College 4
Covenant College Pacific Lutheran University
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Overview

Covenant College PLU
Location Lookout Mountain, GA Tacoma, WA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 886 2,633
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #311
Religious Affiliation The Presbyterian Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website covenant.edu plu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Covenant College PLU
Tuition (In State) $37,760 $49,472
Tuition (Out of State) $37,760 $49,472
Room & Board $11,688 $11,826
Avg Net Price $25,028 $24,825
Avg Grant Aid $26,658 $36,435
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Covenant College PLU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 3,334
Admitted 684 2,964
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 88.9%
Enrolled % 35.4% 17.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/32 27/30
SAT Range 1140/1380 1253/1423
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Covenant College PLU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Covenant College PLU
Graduation Rate 51% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $52,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,800
Median Loan Payment $222 $266

Diversity

Covenant College PLU
% Men 46% 36%
% Women 54% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 68%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Covenant College PLU
% In-State 35% 74%
% Out-of-State 62% 22%

Campus

Covenant College PLU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pacific Lutheran University is larger than than Covenant College based on total student enrollment (2,633 students vs. 886 students)

Covenant College vs. PLU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Covenant College or PLU?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 31% more expensive to attend than Covenant College for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $37,760.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31% higher at PLU than Covenant College ($49,472.00 vs. $37,760.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Lutheran University than Covenant College ($24,825 vs. $25,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Covenant College are 1.2% lower than costs at Pacific Lutheran University ($11,688 vs. $11,826)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Covenant College than Pacific Lutheran University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 36.7% larger than aid received Covenant College ($36,435 vs. $26,658)

Covenant College vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Covenant College or PLU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PLU or Covenant College .

  • The average SAT score at Covenant College (1189) is 72 points higher than at PLU (1117)
  • Incoming Covenant College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at PLU (25)
  • Accepted freshman PLU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Covenant College (3.7)
  • PLU has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Covenant College (84.1%)

Covenant College vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Covenant College or PLU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between PLU and Covenant College.

  • The graduation rate at PLU is higher than Covenant College (66% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $6,700 more per year than Covenant College graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $45,600)
  • Covenant College students graduate with a $4,300 lower median federal student loan debt than PLU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,800)
  • Covenant College graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than PLU graduates. ($222 vs. $266)
  • More Covenant College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/