Guilford College vs. PLU

Should I go to Guilford College or Pacific Lutheran University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Guilford 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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Guilford College vs. Pacific Lutheran University comparison
Guilford College Pacific Lutheran University College 3 College 4
Guilford College Pacific Lutheran University
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Overview

Guilford College PLU
Location Greensboro, NC Tacoma, WA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,208 2,737
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #651 #429
Religious Affiliation Friends Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website guilford.edu plu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Guilford College PLU
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $49,472
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $49,472
Room & Board $13,100 $12,446
Avg Net Price $22,620 $23,841
Avg Grant Aid $33,106 $39,464
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Guilford College PLU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,775 4,139
Admitted 3,162 3,333
Acceptance Rate 83.8% 80.5%
Enrolled % 11.6% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.71
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 21/27
SAT Range 1010/1250 988/1258
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 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Guilford College PLU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Guilford College PLU
Graduation Rate 60% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $52,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,635 $25,800
Median Loan Payment $275 $266

Diversity

Guilford College PLU
% Men 2% 4%
% Women 2% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 68%
% Black 22% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Guilford College PLU
% In-State 71% 80%
% Out-of-State 29% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pacific Lutheran University is larger than than Guilford College based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 1,208 students)

Guilford College vs. PLU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Guilford College or PLU?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 22.5% more expensive to attend than Guilford College for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.5% higher at PLU than Guilford College ($49,472.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Guilford College than PLU ($22,620 vs. $23,841)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 5.3% lower than costs at Guilford College ($12,446 vs. $13,100)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Guilford College than Pacific Lutheran University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 19.2% larger than aid received Guilford College ($39,464 vs. $33,106)

Guilford College vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman PLU students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Guilford College (3.14)
  • Guilford College has a higher acceptance rate (83.8%) than PLU (80.5%)

Guilford College vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Guilford 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 Guilford College.

  • The graduation rate at PLU is higher than Guilford College (66% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $12,000 more per year than Guilford College graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $40,300)
  • Pacific Lutheran University students graduate with a $835 lower median federal student loan debt than Guilford College graduates. ($25,800 vs. $26,635)
  • PLU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Guilford College graduates. ($266 vs. $275)
  • More PLU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Guilford College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 51%)

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