Outcomes-based program rankings.
Program outcomes at Pacific Lutheran University vary significantly by field of study. These rankings evaluate each program by post-graduation earnings, debt burden, and return on investment — not prestige or reputation.
Use this analysis to compare programs and understand which fields deliver the strongest outcomes.
Analyzing 24 programs with available earnings data.
recent graduates
This bar shows the range of median earnings across all majors at this school.
The tables below compare programs in each category by earnings, rank, debt, and cohort size.
These sections represent the complete set of ranked undergraduate programs at Pacific Lutheran University.
Business Administration, Management and Operations. leads business & economics with 76K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | — | $75,576 | $43,744 | 80 |
Program rankings are derived entirely from post-graduation outcomes. We do not use reputation surveys, selectivity metrics, or SAT scores. This means some programs may rank differently than you'd expect based on prestige — and that's intentional.
Median earnings 10 years post-enrollment
Debt burden relative to earnings
Institutional contribution to outcomes
Resources, cohort size, and graduation rates
Trajectory from early to mid-career
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. leads health with 92K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | — | $91,528 | $33,089 | 98 |
Mathematics. leads sciences & mathematics with 78K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics.Small sample | — | $78,056★ | — | 7 |
| Chemistry.Small sample | — | $59,993 | — | 16 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences.Small sample | — | $58,472 | — | 12 |
| Biology, General. | — | $53,077 | — | 38 |
Political Science and Government. leads social sciences & policy with 69K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political Science and Government. | — | $69,366★ | — | 20 |
| Social Work.Small sample | — | $67,458 | — | 8 |
| Sociology.Small sample | — | $59,853 | — | 12 |
| Psychology, General. | — | $55,118 | $21,750 | 31 |
| Economics.Small sample | — | $43,806 | — | 13 |
| Anthropology.Small sample | — | $22,192 | — | 7 |
Communication and Media Studies. leads communications with 57K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies. | — | $57,317 | — | 21 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. leads humanities & arts with 44K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.Small sample | — | $44,459★ | — | 8 |
| History. | — | $43,685 | — | 21 |
| Fine and Studio Arts.Small sample | — | $43,650 | — | 16 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.Small sample | — | $33,993 | — | 12 |
| English Language and Literature, General.Small sample | — | $33,459 | — | 8 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.Small sample | — | $29,685 | — | 12 |
| Music.Small sample | — | $24,035 | — | 11 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. leads education with 67K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | — | $66,848★ | — | 24 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.Small sample | — | $44,551 | — | 8 |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. leads other & interdisciplinary with 55K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.Small sample | — | $55,178★ | — | 7 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | — | $52,113 | $31,598 | 47 |
Why rankings may differ by program: A university's nursing program and business program can have entirely different outcome profiles. Our methodology surfaces these differences so you can evaluate programs — not just institutions.
