PLU Demographics & Diversity

7/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
Tacoma, WA
3.3 3 reviews

#3 Best Value Colleges in Washington

Overview Admission Cost Majors Diversity Outcomes Salaries Location Compare Reviews Admission Calculator

Racial Demographics & Diversity

Racial Diversity

Medium

Racial Diversity Index: 51%

Racial diversity is the chance that two students chosen at random are from different racial or ethnic groups, using the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index. Students at PLU are primarily White with a small Hispanic population. The school has medium racial diversity. 32% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.

Racial demographics of Pacific Lutheran University students
Race	Percent of Students
White	68%
Black	3%
Hispanic	8%
Asian	8%
American Indian / Alaskan	1%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1%
Two or more races	7%
International	4%
Race Unknown	1%

Gender Demographics & Diversity

Gender Diversity

Very High

Gender Diversity Index: 46%

There are 86% more female students than male students enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University with a gender ratio of 65% women to 35% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, PLU has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.

Male to female gender ratio for Pacific Lutheran University students
Gender	Percent of Students
Men	35%
Women	65%

Enrollment by gender for Pacific Lutheran University students
Gender	Number of Students
Men	979
Women	1,818

Geographic Diversity

Extremely Low

Geographic Diversity Index: 18%

PLU draws 82 percent of students from Washington, 12 percent from other states, and 6 percent from other countries. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside Washington, including other U.S. states and other countries.

Enrollment by geographic location for Pacific Lutheran University students
Origin	Percent of Students
In State	82%
Out of State	12%
Foreign	6%
Unknown Location	0%

Economic Diversity

Median Household Income

$65,366 per year

40% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment

2,797

Share of undergraduates by age and part-time status
Segment	Percent of Students
Students Over 25 Years Old	11.6%
Part-time undergraduates	2.1%

Tacoma, Washington

Public 4 Year

Carroll College

Helena, Montana

Private 4 Year

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=236230.

Racial and gender diversity ratings use the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index (Gini-Simpson): the probability that two students chosen at random belong to different groups. See the Census method note, Measuring Racial and Ethnic Diversity for the 2020 Census. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside the college's home state (other U.S. states plus international). IPEDS does not publish enrollment by individual state of residence.

Last updated: August 2026