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Whitman College Oxy SPU Stanford Pomona Lewis and Clark Macalester College UW-Seattle Carleton College Grinnell Kenyon University of Portland| Reed College | Pacific Lutheran University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Reed | PLU | ||
| Location | Portland, OR | Tacoma, WA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,458 | 2,737 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #80 | #429 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | reed.edu | plu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Reed | PLU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,710 | $49,472 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,710 | $49,472 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,820 | $12,446 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,993 | $23,841 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,317 | $39,464 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 99% |
Admission |
Reed | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,045 | 4,139 | ||
| Admitted | 2,728 | 3,333 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 27.2% | 80.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 18.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 29/34 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1510 | 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 |
Reed | PLU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Reed | PLU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,200 | $52,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,000 | $25,800 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $165 | $266 |
Diversity |
Reed | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 60% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 7% | ||
| % International | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Reed | PLU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 83% | 12% | ||
Campus |
Reed | 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 Reed based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 1,458 students)
Reed vs. PLU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Reed or PLU?
- Reed College is 34.8% more expensive to attend than PLU for in-state tuition ($66,710.00 vs. $49,472.00)
- Out of state tuition is 34.8% higher at Reed than Pacific Lutheran University ($66,710.00 vs. $49,472.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Lutheran University than Reed ($23,841 vs. $36,993)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 35.1% lower than costs at Reed College ($12,446 vs. $16,820)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Lutheran University than Reed College (99% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Reed College students is 17.4% larger than aid received Pacific Lutheran University ($46,317 vs. $39,464)
Reed vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Reed or PLU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PLU or Reed .
- The average SAT score at Reed College (1383) is 266 points higher than at PLU (1117)
- Incoming Reed students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at PLU (25)
- Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at PLU (3.71)
- PLU has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than Reed (27.2%)
Reed vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Reed 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 Reed.
- The graduation rate at Reed is higher than Pacific Lutheran University (80% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $5,100 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $47,200)
- Reed College students graduate with a $9,800 lower median federal student loan debt than PLU graduates. ($16,000 vs. $25,800)
- Reed graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than PLU graduates. ($165 vs. $266)
- More Reed graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/