Pacific Lutheran University Acceptance Rate
Tacoma, Washington · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 4,139
- Admitted
- 3,333
- Yield
- 18.7%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Pacific Lutheran University's acceptance rate has risen from 75% in 2014–15 to 80.5% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 3,438 to 4,139 (+20%) over that period.
Its 80.5% rate makes Pacific Lutheran University more selective than about 41% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 19 tracked Washington schools, it is more selective than about 53%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (83.8% for women vs 75.8% for men, a 8-point gap). Pacific Lutheran University has been test-optional since 2019–20. Of admitted students, 18.7% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 3,438 | 2,579 | 75% | 574 |
| 2015–16 | 3,623 | 2,737 | 75.5% | 643 |
| 2016–17 | 3,770 | 2,896 | 76.8% | 679 |
| 2017–18 | 3,629 | 2,736 | 75.4% | 619 |
| 2018–19 | 3,740 | 2,984 | 79.8% | 649 |
| 2019–20 | 3,679 | 3,165 | 86% | 597 |
| 2020–21 | 3,306 | 2,853 | 86.3% | 589 |
| 2021–22 | 3,220 | 2,846 | 88.4% | 510 |
| 2022–23 | 3,334 | 2,964 | 88.9% | 526 |
| 2023–24 | 4,139 | 3,333 | 80.5% | 624 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 2,252 | 1,888 | 83.8% |
| Men | 1,716 | 1,300 | 75.8% |
| Another gender | 169 | 144 | 85.2% |
| Unknown | 2 | 1 | 50% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 515–630 | 7% |
| SAT Math | 473–628 | |
| ACT Composite | 21–27 | 4% |
How Pacific Lutheran University compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Pacific Lutheran University's acceptance rate?
Pacific Lutheran University's acceptance rate is 80.5% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (3,333 admitted of 4,139 applicants).
Is Pacific Lutheran University test optional?
Pacific Lutheran University is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Pacific Lutheran University?
Pacific Lutheran University received 4,139 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 3,333.
What SAT score do you need for Pacific Lutheran University?
Admitted students at Pacific Lutheran University typically scored 515–630 on SAT Reading/Writing and 473–628 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Pacific Lutheran University getting harder to get into?
Pacific Lutheran University has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 75% in 2014–15 to 80.5% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.plu.edu/.