“A nationally ranked liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest, combining small classes with professional schools of Music and Business.”
The University of Puget Sound is a private, independent liberal arts college located in Tacoma, Washington, founded in 1888. Featured in Colleges That Change Lives, Puget Sound offers the distinctive combination of a nationally ranked liberal arts curriculum with dedicated Schools of Music and Business and Leadership. With roughly 1,600 undergraduates on a 97-acre Tudor-Gothic campus, students benefit from an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, small seminar-style classes, and extensive access to faculty mentorship, research, and experiential learning. Academically, Puget Sound is known for its rigorous programs in the natural sciences (particularly biology, neuroscience, and chemistry), business and leadership, music performance, psychology, international political economy, and one of the country's few undergraduate Asian Studies programs. The university emphasizes interdisciplinary study, undergraduate research, and off-campus learning through nationally recognized programs such as Pacific Rim/Asia Study-Travel (PacRim) and semester-long global field studies. Graduate offerings include Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Education, Counseling, and a Master of Public Health. Life on campus revolves around long-standing traditions like the Hatchet (a class rivalry dating to 1908), LogJam!, Maroon Fridays, and the annual Spring Lu'au, alongside more than 100 student clubs and NCAA Division III athletics as the Loggers. Situated in Tacoma's historic North End with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound, students enjoy easy access to Mount Rainier National Park, downtown Tacoma's arts and food scene, and the Seattle metro area — positioning the college squarely within one of the most scenic, outdoorsy, and innovation-driven regions of the United States.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision
Binding; decision by December
Early Action
Non-binding; decision by January
Regular Decision
Priority deadline; decisions begin in March
Spring Admission
Rolling basis; priority by Nov 1
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$65,270 – $66,046
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
The academic heart of Puget Sound, offering more than 40 majors and minors across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, plus distinctive interdisciplinary programs.
An AACSB-style professional program embedded within a liberal arts college, preparing students to lead in complex global environments through small classes, case-based learning, and required internships.
A nationally recognized conservatory-within-a-liberal-arts-college offering Bachelor of Music degrees in performance, education, and composition with audition-based admission.
Professional graduate programs focused on health sciences and education, including one of the oldest OT programs in the country.
Signature cross-disciplinary majors that leverage Puget Sound's size and Pacific Rim location to offer distinctive fields of study.
4 years
A rigorous, interdisciplinary major combining economics, political science, and international studies. IPE is one of Puget Sound's signature programs and a top producer of Fulbright scholars among liberal arts colleges.
4 years
Features PacRim, an acclaimed nine-month study-travel program through eight to ten Asian countries offered every three years — a rare, immersive experience that sets Puget Sound apart.
4 years
Conservatory-level music training with individual applied lessons, ensembles, and performance opportunities, while retaining the breadth of a liberal arts education. Audition required.
3 years
One of the oldest and most respected OT programs in the Pacific Northwest, with strong NBCOT pass rates and clinical placements across the region.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $62,898
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
