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Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 2,401 Undergrads 72.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$62,459
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,589
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,671
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,589
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$63,671
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate72.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
78.0%
SAT Avg
1,168
SAT Reading
25th: 54063275th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 50063275th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 222575th: 28
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$565k
+$98k
+$81k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$494k
+$28k
+$10k
Full Cost$62k/yr
+$340k
-$127k
-$144k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
56
14%
Full Cost$62k/yr
Never
-64%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-28%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-71%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,199
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,077
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,576
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,933
Earnings (4yr)
$59,993
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,604
Earnings (4yr)
$57,317
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$23,534
Earnings (4yr)
$128,703
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$505k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$44,459
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,981
Earnings (4yr)
$43,650
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,472
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,685
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,056
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,178
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,525
Earnings (5yr)
$39,968
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,366
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,969
Earnings (4yr)
$55,118
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,528
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,374
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,774
Earnings (4yr)
$67,458
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,825
Earnings (4yr)
$59,853
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,113
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,848
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$29,740
Earnings (2yr)
$44,551
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Master's Degrees
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$39,150
Earnings (4yr)
$100,684
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$72,057
Earnings (4yr)
$58,052
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$82,634
Earnings (4yr)
$101,335
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$34,896
Earnings (4yr)
$77,198
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Graduate Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,363
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Doctoral Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.