Evergreen vs. PLU

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

 Evergreen PLU
Location Olympia, WA Tacoma, WA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,320 2,737
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #429
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website evergreen.edu plu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Evergreen PLU
Tuition (In State) $7,845 $49,472
Tuition (Out of State) $29,826 $49,472
Room & Board $16,451 $12,446
Avg Net Price $18,480 $23,841
Avg Grant Aid $10,278 $39,464
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 99%

Admission

 Evergreen PLU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,443 4,139
Admitted 1,403 3,333
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 80.5%
Enrolled % 25.9% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.71
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/26 21/27
SAT Range 890/1260 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

 Evergreen PLU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (83%)
  • General Studies (17%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 Evergreen PLU
Graduation Rate 54% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $52,300
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,595 $25,800
Median Loan Payment $181 $266

Diversity

 Evergreen PLU
% Men 3% 4%
% Women 6% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 65% 68%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

 Evergreen PLU
% In-State 69% 80%
% Out-of-State 31% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pacific Lutheran University is larger than than Evergreen based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 2,320 students)

Evergreen vs. PLU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Evergreen or PLU?

  • Pacific Lutheran University is 530.6% more expensive to attend than Evergreen for in-state tuition ($49,472.00 vs. $7,845.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.9% higher at PLU than The Evergreen State College ($49,472.00 vs. $29,826.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The Evergreen State College than PLU ($18,480 vs. $23,841)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Lutheran University are 32.2% lower than costs at The Evergreen State College ($12,446 vs. $16,451)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Lutheran University than The Evergreen State College (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Lutheran University students is 284% larger than aid received The Evergreen State College ($39,464 vs. $10,278)

Evergreen vs. PLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pacific Lutheran University (1117) is 50 points higher than at Evergreen (1067)
  • Incoming PLU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Evergreen (23)
  • Accepted freshman PLU students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Evergreen (3.12)
  • Evergreen has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than PLU (80.5%)

Evergreen vs. PLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Evergreen 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 Evergreen.

  • The graduation rate at PLU is higher than The Evergreen State College (66% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Lutheran University earn on average $15,300 more per year than Evergreen graduates after ten years. ($52,300 vs. $37,000)
  • The Evergreen State College students graduate with a $8,205 lower median federal student loan debt than PLU graduates. ($17,595 vs. $25,800)
  • Evergreen graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than PLU graduates. ($181 vs. $266)
  • More PLU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Evergreen students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)

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