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SPU Notre Dame UW-Seattle Seattle U Wooster Whitworth University St Olaf DePauw Gonzaga Saint Martin's University BSU University of Puget Sound| Earlham College | Pacific Lutheran University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Earlham | PLU | ||
| Location | Richmond, IN | Tacoma, WA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 677 | 2,633 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #311 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Friends | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | earlham.edu | plu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Earlham | PLU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,218 | $49,472 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,218 | $49,472 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,448 | $11,826 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,746 | $24,825 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $37,303 | $36,435 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Earlham | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,375 | 3,334 | ||
| Admitted | 1,007 | 2,964 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 73.2% | 88.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 17.1% | 17.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 24/32 | 27/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1380 | 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 |
Earlham | PLU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Earlham | PLU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,100 | $52,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 75% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $25,800 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $266 |
Diversity |
Earlham | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 7% | ||
| % International | 22% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Earlham | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 74% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 22% | ||
Campus |
Earlham | 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 Earlham based on total student enrollment (2,633 students vs. 677 students)
Earlham vs. PLU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Earlham or PLU?
- Pacific Lutheran University is 0.5% more expensive to attend than Earlham for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $49,218.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at PLU than Earlham College ($49,472.00 vs. $49,218.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Lutheran University than Earlham ($24,825 vs. $25,746)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 5.3% lower than costs at Earlham College ($11,826 vs. $12,448)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Earlham College than Pacific Lutheran University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Earlham College students is 2.4% larger than aid received Pacific Lutheran University ($37,303 vs. $36,435)
Earlham vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Earlham or PLU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PLU or Earlham .
- Accepted freshman PLU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Earlham (3.67)
- PLU has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Earlham (73.2%)
Earlham vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Earlham 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 Earlham.
- The graduation rate at Earlham is the same as at Pacific Lutheran University (66% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $13,200 more per year than Earlham graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $39,100)
- Pacific Lutheran University students graduate with a $200 lower median federal student loan debt than Earlham graduates. ($25,800 vs. $26,000)
- PLU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Earlham graduates. ($266 vs. $268)
- More Earlham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/