Saint Anselm College vs. PLU

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

Saint Anselm College PLU
Location Manchester, NH Tacoma, WA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,078 2,737
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #429
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website anselm.edu plu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Anselm College PLU
Tuition (In State) $45,360 $49,472
Tuition (Out of State) $45,360 $49,472
Room & Board $16,520 $12,446
Avg Net Price $35,091 $23,841
Avg Grant Aid $30,009 $39,464
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Saint Anselm College PLU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,165 4,139
Admitted 3,262 3,333
Acceptance Rate 78.3% 80.5%
Enrolled % 17.5% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/27 21/27
SAT Range 1090/1270 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 Feb 1, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Saint Anselm College PLU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • History (6%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Saint Anselm College PLU
Graduation Rate 73% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,100 $52,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,800
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

Saint Anselm College PLU
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 1% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 68%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

Saint Anselm College PLU
% In-State 19% 80%
% Out-of-State 80% 12%

Campus

Saint Anselm College 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 Saint Anselm College based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 2,078 students)

Saint Anselm College vs. PLU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Anselm College or PLU?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 9.1% more expensive to attend than Saint Anselm College for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $45,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at PLU than Saint Anselm College ($49,472.00 vs. $45,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Lutheran University than Saint Anselm College ($23,841 vs. $35,091)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 32.7% lower than costs at Saint Anselm College ($12,446 vs. $16,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Anselm College than Pacific Lutheran University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 31.5% larger than aid received Saint Anselm College ($39,464 vs. $30,009)

Saint Anselm College vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman PLU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Saint Anselm College (3.39)
  • PLU has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than Saint Anselm College (78.3%)

Saint Anselm College vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Anselm 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 Saint Anselm College.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Anselm College is higher than Pacific Lutheran University (73% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Saint Anselm College earn on average $7,800 more per year than PLU graduates after ten years. ($60,100 vs. $52,300)
  • Pacific Lutheran University students graduate with a $1,200 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Anselm College graduates. ($25,800 vs. $27,000)
  • PLU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Anselm College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Anselm College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 74%)

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