Evergreen vs. SPU

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

 Evergreen SPU
Location Olympia, WA Seattle, WA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,105 3,118
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #513 #270
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website evergreen.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Evergreen SPU
Tuition (In State) $7,596 $36,504
Tuition (Out of State) $28,905 $36,504
Room & Board $13,806 $14,409
Avg Net Price $16,318 $26,549
Avg Grant Aid $10,411 $25,359
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Evergreen SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,623 3,895
Admitted 1,207 3,533
Acceptance Rate 74.4% 90.7%
Enrolled % 22.7% 15.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.53
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 20/27
SAT Range 980/1220 1080/1350
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 Jul 11, 2025

Academics

 Evergreen SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (83%)
  • General Studies (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Evergreen SPU
Graduation Rate 54% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,595 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $181 $264

Diversity

 Evergreen SPU
% Men 38% 31%
% Women 62% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 65% 61%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 8%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

 Evergreen SPU
% In-State 69% 71%
% Out-of-State 31% 26%

Campus

 Evergreen SPU
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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Evergreen based on total student enrollment (3,118 students vs. 2,105 students)

Evergreen vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Evergreen or SPU?

  • Seattle Pacific University is 380.6% more expensive to attend than Evergreen for in-state tuition ($36,504.00 vs. $7,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.3% higher at SPU than The Evergreen State College ($36,504.00 vs. $28,905.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The Evergreen State College than SPU ($16,318 vs. $26,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The Evergreen State College are 4.4% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($13,806 vs. $14,409)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The Evergreen State College than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 143.6% larger than aid received The Evergreen State College ($25,359 vs. $10,411)

Evergreen vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 78 points higher than at Evergreen (1067)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Evergreen (23)
  • Accepted freshman SPU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Evergreen (3.12)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than Evergreen (74.4%)

Evergreen vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Evergreen or SPU? 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 SPU and Evergreen.

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than The Evergreen State College (74% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $13,400 more per year than Evergreen graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $37,000)
  • The Evergreen State College students graduate with a $8,008 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($17,595 vs. $25,603)
  • Evergreen graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($181 vs. $264)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Evergreen students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 57%)

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