About Puget Sound

Puget Sound is a highly selective liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a place where people come together — to learn, to make lasting connections, to plunge into a sea of ideas, and to begin to scale the challenges of the world ahead. An intellectual atmosphere, an energized academic community, a beautiful campus in a vibrant city, and a depth of opportunities to reach out, connect, and explore, Puget Sound is the result of a unique confluence of the elements.

The Academic Program

Curriculum

• Four-year core curriculum in the liberal arts tradition
• More than 40 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs
• 1,200 courses offered annually

The People

Students

• 2,600 students, 42% men and 58% women from 48 states and 20 countries; 76% from outside Washington state
• Ethnic/national distribution:
  • African American 3%
  • Asian/Pacific Islander 9%
  • Caucasian 74%
  • Hispanic/Latino 4%
  • International 1%
  • Native American 1%
  • Other 8%

Student honors earned

ASIANetwork Freeman Foundation Fellowship
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
David L. Bowen National Security Education Program Scholarship
Fulbright Scholarship
Hertz Foundation Fellowship
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowship
Mellon Fellowship
National Science Foundation Fellowship
Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
Truman Scholarship
Undergraduate Summer Research Grant

Select academic honor societies

Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Kappa Phi

Faculty

• Total faculty: 219
• Hold doctorate or equivalent: 98% of tenure-line faculty
• Full-time: 93%
• Student-faculty ratio: 11 to 1

The Place

Location

• Tacoma, Washington, population approximately 200,000; 35 miles south of Seattle
• Campus located in the residential North End neighborhood, near shopping, downtown, and waterfront
• 97-acre landscaped campus with extensive facilities and varied residential options

The Possibilities

Student Life

• More than 100 wide-ranging organizations and clubs
• Active student government
• Greek-letter organizations
• Residence halls: 9
• On-campus houses: 58
• Theme and foreign language houses: 21

Athletics and Recreation

• NCAA Division III Northwest Conference
• 23 varsity sports
• Varied intramural and club sports

More Facts & Figures