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Colleges near Puyallup · College Scorecard

No college in Puyallup, but 17 within 30 miles

The closest is Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, 7.4 miles from the center of town. Here’s what each costs, who gets in, and how students do.

Nearest college
7.4 mi
Pacific Lutheran University
Within 30 miles
17
degree-granting colleges
Nearest community college
8.9 mi
Bates Technical College
Students nearby
53,826
on campus within 30 miles
Residents in college
5%
WA 6%

College from Puyallup

Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Within reach

Colleges near Puyallup

Every degree-granting college within 30 miles of the center of Puyallup.

Straight-line distance. Degree-granting colleges with students on campus. Dashed rows are too small, or report too little to the Department of Education, for a page of their own.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for families on federal aid. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $75–110k, where Puyallup’s median household income ($98K) falls.

Federal figures: your own price depends on your aid package. Every college has a net price calculator on its website. “—” = not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college near Puyallup: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k 0%25%50%75%100% Graduate → Pacific Lutheran UniversityUniversity of Washington-Tacoma CampusNorthwest College of Art & Design
Pacific Lutheran University69% graduate$67k earnings$23k typical debt
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus63% graduate$78k earnings$15k typical debt
Northwest College of Art & Design58% graduate$31k earnings$31k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, students on federal aid. A college that’s part of a larger system reports earnings for the whole system.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023). “On campus” counts fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Net price is the average a year after grants for families on federal aid; earnings are the median 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. Distances are straight-line from the center of Puyallup. Town figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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