More selective than 82% of Washington colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $78,378. College Scorecard.
Higher than 86% of Washington colleges we cover and 75% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 90% of Washington colleges we cover and 85% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Puget Sound acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,548 applicants, University of Puget Sound admitted 4,232 and 463 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1170–1380 on the SAT or 27–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Puget Sound tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Puget Sound costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Puget Sound took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Washington. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $23,643 | $97,646 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $23,133 | $95,539 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $31,649 | $130,710 | 4.4 years |
| $75–110k | $34,870 | $144,013 | 4.9 years |
| $110k+ | $45,456 | $187,733 | 6.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (60% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($69,594) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $29,375 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Puget Sound majors, earnings & careers
University of Puget Sound offers 44 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 14
- Science & Math · 10
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Business & Finance · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Puget Sound
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $98,696 | $25,000 |
| Economics | $81,082 | $26,031 |
| Business Administration | $77,585 | $26,442 |
| Mathematics | $75,462 | $22,000 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $65,986 | — |
| Psychology | $61,919 | $27,000 |
| Communications | $61,904 | $27,000 |
| History | $60,458 | $20,500 |
Quick list of all 44 majors
- Area Studies$57,407
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Physical Sciences$55,690
- Biology$52,645
- Business Administration$77,585
- Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences—
- Chemistry—
- Classics—
- Communications$61,904
- Computer Science$98,696
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)$53,792
- Economics$81,082
- Education$57,205
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Engineering—
- English$50,690
- Environmental Science / Conservation$46,112
- Ethnic / Gender Studies$37,553
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities—
- History$60,458
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations$47,734
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$52,234
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems—
- Mathematics$75,462
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$65,986
- Music$41,207
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$52,278
- Psychology$61,919
- Religious Studies—
- Science, Technology and Society—
- Sociology—
- Sociology and Anthropology$48,940
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$56,052
- Studio Art$43,032
- Theatre$46,791
- Writing$38,871
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Seattle
Overall prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,064. Housing costs 51% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 45 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Pierce County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Pierce County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Puget Sound with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Washington by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puget Sound | 72% | $38,394 | 68% | $69,594 | This school |
| Pacific Lutheran University | 78% | $19,589 | 69% | $66,990 | |
| Seattle Pacific University | 83% | $24,488 | 62% | $64,506 | |
| Northwest University | 83% | $22,288 | 71% | $54,914 | |
| Walla Walla University | — | $23,329 | 60% | $61,885 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Puget Sound would cost you $18,805 more per year than Pacific Lutheran University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Puget Sound, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$10,644).
- Pacific Lutheran University gives aided families $2,886 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Washington resident | University of Puget Sound | PLU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $62,898 | $52,254 | +$10,644 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $762 | +$238 |
| Housing & meals | $15,040 | $12,446 | +$2,594 |
| Personal & travel | $2,624 | $2,665 | −$41 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,184 | −$5,668 | +$2,484 |
| Sticker price | $78,378 | $62,459 | +$15,919 |
| Average grants | −$39,984 | −$42,870 | +$2,886 |
| You pay | $38,394 | $19,589 | +$18,805 |
“+” means University of Puget Sound costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Puget Sound
What is the University of Puget Sound acceptance rate?
University of Puget Sound accepts 72% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,232 of 5,548 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1170–1380 on the SAT or 27–31 on the ACT.
How much does University of Puget Sound cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $78,378 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $38,394 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $23,643 and families earning $110k+ pay $45,456.
How much do University of Puget Sound graduates earn?
Former University of Puget Sound students earn a median $69,594 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Puget Sound graduation rate?
68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Puget Sound degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Puget Sound costs about $130,710 after grants ($31,649 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $69,594 ten years after starting, $29,375 more than high school graduates in Washington ($40,219), so the cost is repaid in 4.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Puget Sound: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-puget-sound (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).