PLU vs. St John's College

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

PLU St John's College
Location Tacoma, WA Santa Fe, NM
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,633 439
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #311
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website plu.edu stjohnscollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLU St John's College
Tuition (In State) $49,472 $36,040
Tuition (Out of State) $49,472 $36,040
Room & Board $11,826 $14,710
Avg Net Price $24,825 $29,265
Avg Grant Aid $36,435 $22,423
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 95%

Admission

PLU St John's College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,334 453
Admitted 2,964 245
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 54.1%
Enrolled % 17.7% 37.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/30 28/32
SAT Range 1253/1423 1250/1460
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, 2025

Academics

PLU St John's College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

PLU St John's College
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,300 $35,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,800 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $266 $279

Diversity

PLU St John's College
% Men 36% 53%
% Women 64% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 60%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 4% 20%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

PLU St John's College
% In-State 74% 10%
% Out-of-State 22% 81%

Campus

PLU St John's College
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 St John's College based on total student enrollment (2,633 students vs. 439 students)

PLU vs. St John's College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLU or St John's College?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 37.3% more expensive to attend than St John's College for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $36,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.3% higher at PLU than St John's College ($49,472.00 vs. $36,040.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Lutheran University than St John's College ($24,825 vs. $29,265)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 24.4% lower than costs at St John's College ($11,826 vs. $14,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Lutheran University than St John's College (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 62.5% larger than aid received St John's College ($36,435 vs. $22,423)

PLU vs. St John's College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman St John's College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at PLU (3.71)
  • PLU has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than St John's College (54.1%)

PLU vs. St John's College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLU or St John's College? 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 St John's College and PLU.

  • The graduation rate at PLU is higher than St John's College (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $16,700 more per year than St John's College graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $35,600)
  • Pacific Lutheran University students graduate with a $1,200 lower median federal student loan debt than St John's College graduates. ($25,800 vs. $27,000)
  • PLU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than St John's College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More PLU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St John's College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)

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