Seattle Pacific University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Seattle, Washington. It enrolls 1,762 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes49
Value48
Affordability44
Selectivity44
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 83.4%, Seattle Pacific University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
83.4%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Seattle Pacific University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
0.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Seattle Pacific University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,488 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,488
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
49%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$40,407
Room & Board (on-campus)
$16,491
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,491
Books & Supplies
$924
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,618
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,618
Total Cost of Attendance
$56,826
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$20,735
$30,001 – $48,000
$18,559
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,332
$75,001 – $110,000
$27,976
Over $110,000
$29,819
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$10,50025%percentile
$24,000Medianpercentile
$30,00075%percentile
$35,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $17,333
↓ $6,667
No Pell $15,500
↓ $8,500
Dependent students $16,325
↓ $7,675
Independent students $22,001
↓ $1,999
Female students $17,500
↓ $6,500
Male students $15,000
↓ $9,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,834, less than completers ($24,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
58% of full-time students who enrolled at Seattle Pacific University graduate within six years, and 74% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
74%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Seattle Pacific University earn a median of $64,506 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$64,506
Earning > $25K
82%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$48,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$66,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$49,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$56,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$54,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $18,100, about 27% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
10.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 94% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Seattle Pacific University is home to 1,762 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,762
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
23%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 30.7%541
Hispanic 19.2%338
Asian 14.3%252
Other 10.4%183
Black 8.8%155
International 7.0%123
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Seattle Pacific University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CitySeattle, Washington
Housing
Strongly residential1,775 beds for 1,762 students
Adult Learners
6%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Seattle Pacific University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
74 distinct programs across
22 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Seattle Pacific University is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$259M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$84,121
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
176 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
57
32%
$93,675
Associate Professors
47
27%
$84,347
Assistant Professors
58
33%
$79,023
Instructors
7
4%
$55,656
No Rank
7
4%
$75,523
Pros & Cons of Seattle Pacific University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Seattle Pacific University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Seattle Pacific University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Seattle Pacific University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Seattle Pacific University.
Is Seattle Pacific University hard to get into?
Seattle Pacific University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 83.4%.
What is the acceptance rate at Seattle Pacific University?
Seattle Pacific University has an acceptance rate of 83.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Seattle Pacific University cost?
The average net price after aid at Seattle Pacific University is $24,488 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Seattle Pacific University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $64,506 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,488 per year. That's roughly 2.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Seattle Pacific University known for?
Seattle Pacific University is best known for its programs in Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Teacher Education (K-12). These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Seattle Pacific University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Seattle Pacific University are $64,506, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Seattle Pacific University accredited?
Yes. Seattle Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Seattle Pacific University?
Seattle Pacific University enrolls 1,762 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Seattle Pacific University?
Seattle Pacific University graduates 58% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Seattle Pacific University a public or private college?
Seattle Pacific University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Seattle Pacific University located?
Seattle Pacific University is located in Seattle, Washington.
What programs does Seattle Pacific University offer?
Seattle Pacific University offers 74 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Teacher Education (K-12).
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Seattle Pacific University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Seattle Pacific University is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Washington
Other colleges in Washington share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
