St Olaf College vs. Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) Overview
You’re wrestling with a tough question: “Should I go to St Olaf College or PLU?“
St Olaf College
Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)
Can you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesCan you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesThis complete guide analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative differences between St Olaf College and Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). This comparison is particularly valuable at understanding the cultural nuances between the colleges since it uses student videos to capture the “vibes” of campus - these videos are exclusively available on CampusReel :)
Differences between St Olaf College and Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go through a general overview of the high-level differences between St Olaf College and Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). The table below summarizes some of the most important statistics around competitiveness, costs, etc.
| St Olaf College | Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state Tuition | $42,940 | $37,950 |
| Net Price | $23,452 | $24,797 |
| Average Financial Aid | $26,922 | $22,725 |
| Total Undergraduates | 3005 | 2809 |
| Average SAT Scores | 1140 - 1410 | 980 - 1230 |
| Acceptance Rate | 36 | 76 |
| Location | 1520 St Olaf Ave | 12180 Park Ave South |
| City Name | Northfield | Tacoma |
WARNINGS: Based on net price alone, St Olaf College is the cheaper option. However, this sticker price may not adequately represent the difference in living costs between Northfield and Tacoma. St Olaf College is in a West North Central and PLU is in a Mountain - sometimes off campus meals and housing costs can dramatically vary between schools
Is St Olaf College or Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) Harder to get into? Which school is easier to get into?
If you’re looking at acceptance rate alone, then St Olaf College is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that St Olaf College is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.
You can use the below college admissions predictor to determine your likelihood of acceptance at either school.
How Do St Olaf College Dorms Compare to housing Options at PLU?
Both colleges provide on-campus living options. St Olaf College charges for on-campus living, while PLU charges N/A for on-campus living. Most importantly, though, check out the video below for a sample of dorm tours at each school.
St Olaf College and PLU student body differences
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences as well.
| St Olaf College, % | PLU,% | |
|---|---|---|
| White | 74.53999999999999 | 67.5 |
| Hispanic | 5.12 | 7.969999999999999 |
| Black | 2.03 | 2.56 |
| Foreign | 7.489999999999999 | 4.02 |
| Others | 10.8 | 17 |
How different is the St Olaf College campus compared to Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) campus?
The St Olaf College campus is located in Northfield, MN and is characterized as Town: Distant (in urban cluster more than 10 miles and up to 35 miles from an urbanized area). The PLU campus is located in Tacoma, WA and is characterized as Suburb: Large (outside principal city, in urbanized area with population of 250,000 or more).
Which school gives more financial aid?
St Olaf College provides $26,922 whereas PLU provides an average of $22,725.
How does St Olaf College academics compare to PLU?
When analyzing academics between St Olaf College and Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) we’ll look at both what current students are studying and also where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career! Analyzing each school’s outcomes is super valuable to understand the value of the degree.
| Majors | St Olaf College | PLU |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture agriculture operations and related sciences | N/A | N/A |
| Natural resources and conservation | 32 | N/A |
| Architecture and related services | N/A | N/A |
| Area ethnic cultural gender and group studies | 19 | 6 |
| Communication journalism and related programs | N/A | 37 |
| Computer and information sciences and support services | 15 | 28 |
| Communications technologies technicians and support services | N/A | N/A |
| Personal and culinary services | N/A | N/A |
| Engineering | N/A | 3 |
| Education | 9 | 33 |
| Engineering technologies and engineering related fields | N/A | N/A |
Which is better: St Olaf College or Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)?
We’ve compared dorm life, costs, outcomes and more to provide the most complete comparison between St Olaf College and PLU. But, you’re smart enough to know that numbers paint a terrible picture for truly understanding what each college and community is like. And, the real answer to which school is better is: the school that’s right for you. No matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “better” school is whatever is the best fit for you personally. That’s why it’s extremely important to check out all the videos on CampusReel for each school.
How does St Olaf College social life compare to PLU?
It’s tough to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That’s why we’ve brought in real student videos to show how St Olaf College social life differs from PLU.
Check here.
Check here.