Safety Score
30.69 /1K students
incidents per 1,000 enrolled
Tacoma, WA · Clery Act 2023 · Private Nonprofit
Pacific Lutheran University
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 2,737-student campus.
- 30.69
- Incidents / 1k students
- #3,034
- Rank of 3,050
- #63
- WA rank
- 2,737
- Enrolled students
Data updated June 2026
The verdict
Pacific Lutheran University reports 30.69 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #3,034 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 100% of ranked campuses its size.
- 30.69
- incidents / 1,000 students
- #3,034
- of 3,050 ranked nationally
- 100%
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 72
- on-campus incidents, 2023
Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2023
Pacific Lutheran University decreased from 86 to 72 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesPacific Lutheran University is a Private Nonprofit institution located in Tacoma, WA, enrolling approximately 2,737 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 184 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within WA, it ranks #63 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →
With 2,737 enrolled students, this campus sits in the small college bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.
The most frequently reported category at Pacific Lutheran University is "Motor Vehicle Theft" with 133 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in WA averaging 2.05 incidents per 1,000 students, Pacific Lutheran University reports 1401% more incidents per student.
Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 1 total fire. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 18 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.
Pacific Lutheran University's safety score of 30.69 incidents per 1,000 students places it in the bottom 0.5% of the 3,050 institutions this survey ranks nationally, meaning the reported incident rate here is higher than at nearly all peer institutions in the dataset. As our methodology explains, a higher reported rate can reflect a more active reporting culture rather than a more dangerous campus, and does not by itself indicate the actual likelihood of experiencing a crime.
National Rank
#3034
See peer comparison
State Rank (WA)
#63
within state peers
Incidents (2023)
72
across 11 crime categories
Where Pacific Lutheran University sits among ranked U.S. campuses
On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students
31 safer than 0% of 1,807 ranked campuses
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023
Safety percentile vs. peers
Pacific Lutheran University percentile rank 0.5%
National median
Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #3034 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.
Reporting density vs peer median
Pacific Lutheran University reports 1401% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $52,254
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $52,254
- Avg Net Price
- $19,589
- Median Debt
- $22,578
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 35%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- SAT Average
- 1168
- SAT Math Range
- 500–600
- ACT Average
- 25
- ACT Range
- 22–28
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 70%
- Retention Rate
- 82%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $52,212
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $66,990
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 83%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyPacific Lutheran University: on-campus incidents by year
Rising 177% (26 → 72 incidents)
| Crime Type | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Arson | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Burglary | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Fondling | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 49 | 67 | 17 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Robbery | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
18 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 6 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 20 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 5 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 18 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2021 | 0 | 5 |
| Liquor | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2021 | 0 | 10 |
| Weapons | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
Pacific Lutheran University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).
WA
Pacific Lutheran University
30.69 incidents / 1,000 students
NY
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
GA
Morehouse College
5.84 incidents / 1,000 students
Similar Institutions
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY · 2,737 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA · 2,738 enrolled
Safety Score 5.84
Carson-Newman University
Jefferson City, TN · 2,735 enrolled
Safety Score 1.10
University of Arkansas at Monticello
Monticello, AR · 2,739 enrolled
Safety Score 3.29
Everglades University
Boca Raton, FL · 2,733 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Closest by National Rank
Institutions ranked nearest Pacific Lutheran University nationally (rank #3034), regardless of size or state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pacific Lutheran University safe?
Pacific Lutheran University has a safety score of 30.69 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #3,034 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Pacific Lutheran University?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Pacific Lutheran University compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in WA.
Does Pacific Lutheran University have fire safety data?
Yes. Pacific Lutheran University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.
Understanding Pacific Lutheran University's Safety Profile
Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA enrolls 2,737 students and has a safety score of 30.69 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #3034 nationally. This higher score indicates more reported incidents relative to enrollment, though context matters, urban campuses and larger institutions may have different reporting dynamics.
Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents decreased from 86 in 2022 to 72 in 2023.
Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.
What this means for you
Pacific Lutheran University's 30.69 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.
- Weigh Pacific Lutheran University against similar-size campuses, scale changes what the raw count means. Compare campuses
- A higher count can mean stronger reporting, not more danger. How the data works
- Clery covers campus grounds only. Campus vs. city crime
Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.