PLU vs. NSA

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

PLU NSA
Location Tacoma, WA Moscow, Idaho
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,737 351
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #429
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website plu.edu nsa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLU NSA
Tuition (In State) $49,472 $15,700
Tuition (Out of State) $49,472 $15,700
Room & Board $12,446 $4,000
Avg Net Price $23,841 $16,064
Avg Grant Aid $39,464 $3,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 92%

Admission

PLU NSA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,139 126
Admitted 3,333 108
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 85.7%
Enrolled % 18.7% 74.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 24/29
SAT Range 988/1258 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

PLU NSA
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

PLU NSA
Graduation Rate 66% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 74% -
Median Student Loan Debt $25,800 N/A
Median Loan Payment $266 N/A

Diversity

PLU NSA
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 9% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium -
HBCU No No
% White 68% 0%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 8% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

PLU NSA
% In-State 80% 43%
% Out-of-State 12% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pacific Lutheran University is larger than than NSA based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 351 students)

PLU vs. NSA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLU or NSA?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 215.1% more expensive to attend than NSA for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $15,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 215.1% higher at PLU than New Saint Andrews College ($49,472.00 vs. $15,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Saint Andrews College than PLU ($16,064 vs. $23,841)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New Saint Andrews College are 211.2% lower than costs at Pacific Lutheran University ($4,000 vs. $12,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Lutheran University than New Saint Andrews College (99% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 1,032.1% larger than aid received New Saint Andrews College ($39,464 vs. $3,486)

PLU vs. NSA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • NSA has a higher acceptance rate (85.7%) than PLU (80.5%)

PLU vs. NSA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLU or NSA? 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 NSA and PLU.

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