Fixed Tuition Guarantee
The PLU Fixed Tuition Guarantee ensures that your cost of tuition will be locked in from your first day until your graduation day.
At most colleges, tuition increases each year, but generally without increasing students’ scholarships or financial aid. That means students and their families are often forced to pay upwards of $10,000 to $12,000 more than they expected. This can push families into financial hardship or force students to leave their university with debt but without a degree.
The PLU Fixed Tuition Guarantee ensures tuition for the 2024–25 incoming class of first-year and transfer students will remain the same throughout their undergraduate years, adding to the list of ways PLU works to remove barriers to graduation, create access and opportunity, and fulfill our commitment to building a diverse, just and sustainable society.
College costs can be intimidating. This Fixed Tuition Guarantee, along with scholarships, financial aid, and other initiatives by PLU to reduce financial risk, allows students and families to better plan for college costs over time and avoid unexpected financial challenges.
PLU Costs & Financial Aid Facts
- Fixed tuition for 2024-25 incoming class: $50,720 (you can find more cost of attendance information here)
- 99% of PLU students receive financial aid, after which the average cost of PLU goes down to just over $19,000
- Average financial aid offer for the incoming class of 2022-23: $46,417 (from all sources, including scholarships, grants, work study, and student loans)
- Each year, we award $63.8 million in scholarships to help make PLU an affordable option for students and their families
- PLU is ranked the #1 school in Washington and the #9 school in the U.S. for financial aid –LendEDU
FAQs
The tuition may be fixed, but it still seems really high. How can I make PLU more affordable?
Did you know that 99% of PLU students DO NOT pay the full tuition price? Every student’s actual out-of-pocket costs depend on a number of factors. After financial aid, the average cost of PLU (tuition, room and meals) goes down to just over $19,000. We award $63.8 million in scholarships and grants each year to help make PLU an affordable option for students and their families.
If I'm awarded PLU scholarships, will the amount of those stay the same too?
For academic scholarships, yes! If you’re awarded an academic scholarship, it will be renewed each year of your undergraduate study.
For any need-based scholarships or grants, you will need to fill out the FAFSA or WASFA each year to assure you continue to receive any need-based scholarships, grants, loans and/or work study.
Will the Fixed Tuition Guarantee impact my financial aid eligibility?
No. Provided you maintain satisfactory academic progress and your family’s financial situation does not change, your financial aid eligibility from year to year should remain stable.
Will fees, room and meals costs also be fixed?
They will not. These costs could continue to increase gradually based on market factors. However, PLU’s room and meals costs continue to be the most affordable in Washington State.
Will new fees be added or existing fees substantially increased to cover the cost of providing a Fixed Tuition Guarantee?
No. Decisions about annual increases to fees as well as room and meals will be made independently of any cost associated with the Fixed Tuition Guarantee.
I'm planning on transferring to PLU. Will I still get the Fixed Tuition Guarantee?
Yes! The fixed tuition guarantee applies to both incoming first-year and transfer undergraduate students. You’ll find more information about applying and transferring your credits on the Transfer Admission webpage.
What if I need a fifth year or longer to graduate?
Most students who stay enrolled do graduate in four years. If you need more than four years, you will remain eligible for the guarantee until you have graduated with an undergraduate degree.
How did this initiative come about?
PLU officials, including President Belton and the Board of Regents, came to the conclusion that PLU needed to break from the conventional higher ed practice of passing-on the rising cost of tuition to returning students and families, which can range from $10,000 to $12,000 over the course of four years. This guarantee disrupts the general practice of higher education institutions in the U.S., especially private universities, which routinely announce three to five percent tuition increases each spring.
Will the fixed tuition guarantee apply to graduate programs?
No. This fixed tuition guarantee applies only to incoming undergraduate students. More information about graduate programs can be found here.
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