University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
University of Puget Sound Featured Rankings
About University of Puget Sound
According to Wikipedia, The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts university in Tacoma, Washington. The university is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History The University of Puget Sound was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1888 in downtown Tacoma. The idea for a college in Tacoma originated with Charles Henry Fowler, who had previously been the president of Northwestern University. Fowler was in Tacoma for a Methodist conference when he spoke of his vision of a Christian institution of learning in the area. The conference released a report:
University of Puget Sound Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,548 | 72% | 84% | 69% | 1275 | 29 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does University of Puget Sound Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $65,886 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $23,158 |
| 30K - 48K | $17,456 |
| 48K - 75K | $23,121 |
| 75K - 110K | $25,399 |
| 110K+ | $44,430 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do University of Puget Sound Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former University of Puget Sound students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $71,918 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
University of Puget Sound's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 2,006 | 1,693 | 313 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is University of Puget Sound?
University of Puget Sound is located at 1500 N. Warner Street, Tacoma, WA 98416.
How Safe is University of Puget Sound?
Relative to its enrollment, University of Puget Sound has a violent crime rate of 0.43% and a property crime rate of 0.59%. Tacoma has a violent crime rate of 1.06% and a property crime rate of 5.70%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is University of Puget Sound Known For?
University of Puget Sound is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Biology
- Physics
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Economics
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Political Science
- Anthropology
- History
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Medical
- Religious Studies
- Psychology
- Communications
- Education
- Social Work
University of Puget Sound's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much University of Puget Sound's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
University of Puget Sound ranks #323 in the U.S. and #1314 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #360 in the U.S. and #1610 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #383 in the U.S. and #1617 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #393 in the U.S. and #1380 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #423 in the U.S. and #1392 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #431 in the U.S. and #2611 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #435 in the U.S. and #1839 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #447 in the U.S. and #1345 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #456 in the U.S. and #1865 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #487 in the U.S. and #1496 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #510 in the U.S. and #1459 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #522 in the U.S. and #2403 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #537 in the U.S. and #2612 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #549 in the U.S. and #3237 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #580 in the U.S. and #2165 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #591 in the U.S. and #2600 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #609 in the U.S. and #1589 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #624 in the U.S. and #2315 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #677 in the U.S. and #2919 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesUniversity of Puget Sound ranks #1120 in the U.S. and #2711 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWho Are University of Puget Sound's Most Influential Alumni?
University of Puget Sound's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Biology. Here are some of University of Puget Sound's most famous alumni:
- Ted Bundy
- An American serial killer .
- Dale Chihuly
- An American glass sculptor.
- Terry Castle
- An American literary scholar and queer theorist.
- Bang Wong
- A .
- William Canfield
- An American medical researcher.
- Burton C. Andrus
- A U.S. Army Officer .
- Adam West
- An American actor .
- William Ruud
- An American academic.
- Janet Beery
- An American mathematician and historian.
- Jeff Smith
- An Author and host of The Frugal Gourmet .
- John Chester Miller
- An American historian.
- Robert Lee Barker
- An American psychotherapist.
