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University of Puget Sound is a leading liberal arts university in the dynamic Pacific Northwest, offering a rigorous, flexible education that gives students the freedom to explore and shape their studies, supported every step of the way by mentors and advisors. Whether you know your path or have yet to discover it, we can help you pursue a life of purpose and impact.

Why Puget Sound?

At Puget Sound, it's personal.

We come from different places and experiences, and no two journeys are the same. Explore a rigorous education that offers you the freedom to follow your own path.

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Prof. Carrie Woods in the field with students.

A reputation for excellence.

Ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger, Forbes, The Princeton Review, and more.

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Be challenged AND supported.

Our campus in Tacoma’s residential north end is built to foster collaboration and connections with cutting-edge researchers and scholars, trusted mentors and advisors, and lifelong friends.

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Get real experience.

An education isn’t something you get—it’s something you do. Experience the joy of encountering ideas, making connections, generating new knowledge, and putting your education to work.

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Paying for college.

We invest in your success financially, too. 100% of undergraduates receive financial aid, and first-year students admitted with a GPA of 3.6 or above will, at minimum, earn a Dean’s Scholarship of $23,000 per year.

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After Puget Sound

Loggers are remaking the world doing work that matters.

90%
of Class of 2019 are employed, continuing their education, or engaged in public service
75+
students pursue funded research each year
11:1
student-to-faculty ratio
80%
acceptance rate to medical school (4-year average for HPA applicants)
200+
national post-grad scholarships and fellowships
100%
2022 acceptance rate for HPA applicants to dental, nursing, reproductive medicine & OT/PT programs

Alumni

"I have been very successful in my career relative to others of my age and experience. I attribute this to the liberal arts degree I earned at Puget Sound. In today’s economy, positions have been combined across fields, and having a liberal arts-based science degree is the best way to tackle modern challenges."

Alumni Jessica Bruce '08

"As a student I recognized the importance of taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible to broaden my exposure and develop my resume. I interned for two summers in Washington D.C. with the Census Bureau and State Department. I also worked for the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, a non-profit that does investment in the community..."

Alumni Jessica Dyck '18

"The ability for me to be able to critically think about global health inequities and the challenges that the world faces when it comes to policy making and funding of healthcare gives me perspective when I am working in my community."

Alumni Jacki Ward Kehrwald '10

"I was able to apply the participant observation method to contortion and acrobatics for my Watson project. I was able to participate in the training methods and also to look at the culture of the people around me and how their arts and training interacted with culture.”

Most Likely To Lead

Regina Kearney Glenn ’70, MBA’71It was the late 1960s and Regina Kearney Glenn ’70, MBA’71 had packed…

Taking Play Seriously

IT’S ALL THAT Flow arts includes dance, juggling, fire spinning, and object manipulation, among other…

Kristen Bor ’05, photo courtesy of Kristen Bor ’05

Making Her Own Road

OUTDOOR LIFE Kristen Bor ’05 has been living in a van and working from the road for six years.After…

Neal Berntsen ’82, photo ©Todd Rosenberg Photography

A Musical Career

ALL IN THE FAMILY Neal Berntsen ’82 is one of three siblings to have studied music at University of…

Torey Anderson DPT'18, photo courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard

PT Doc for Elite Skiers

TOP DOC Torey Anderson DPT'18 is head physical therapist for the U.S. Women’s Alpine Ski Team. When U.S…

Alexey Rudolph Root ’83, photo courtesy of Alexey Rudolph Root ’83

Chess Champion and Author

CHESS EXPERT Alexey Rudolph Root ’83, a former U.S. women’s chess champ, now teaches and writes books…

A Career in Food

Cookbook author Cynthia Nims’ romance with food had as good a beginning as any: a ham sandwich. Nims ’86 had just arrived in Paris for a study abroad…

Making Spaces for Queer Women of Color

Alison De La Cruz ’92There are few hats Alison De La Cruz ’92 does not wear. Over the last two-plus…

An IT Guy Above the Arctic Circle

Anton Edwardson ’14 (shown on the Arctic Ocean) is an IT entrepreneur in his hometown of Utqiagvik,…

Truly a Rocket Scientist

Cynthia Bixby ’86 is now chief engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center.When Cynthia “CJ”…

See More After Puget Sound

A clear bag with the words Freedom Education Project Puget Sound in green on the exterior.

Faculty

Puget Sound Professor Tanya Erzen Awarded Prestigious NEH Public Scholars Grant

Tacoma, Wash. — Tanya Erzen, associate professor of religion, spirituality, & society and director of crime, law and jus...

Ellie Olpin ’24 and Reisha Foertsch ’25 collect seedling samples from nurse logs in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington’s Olympic National Park.

Campus

Faculty

University of Puget Sound Announces New Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences

University of Puget Sound announced today that it is creating a new academic department to house its environmental programs ...

What’s Happening Now

September 2023 29

COLLAGE: 13th Annual Faculty and Student Music Showcase

September 2023 30

Discover Puget Sound Fall Open House

October 2023 6

Homecoming & Family Weekend

October 2023 9

Fall 2023 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture - Ross Gay

September 2023 29

Arts

COLLAGE: 13th Annual Faculty and Student Music Showcase

This annual audience favorite features all School of Music vocal and instrument ensembles with faculty and students particip...

Students walk on campus with Mount Rainier in the distance.

September 2023 30

Discover Puget Sound Fall Open House

Discover Puget Sound is a Fall Open House designed to be a comprehensive introduction to our campus and community. These spe...

October 2023 6

Alumni + Family

Athletics

Homecoming & Family Weekend

October is right around the corner and with it comes one of our favorite events of the year. Join the entire Puget Sound com...

October 2023 9

Arts

Lectures

Fall 2023 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture - Ross Gay

On Monday, October 9, renowned poet and essayist Ross Gay will deliver the Fall 2023 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture in Public ...

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Logger Life

Student presenting her summer research at Summer Quest 2023

@univpugetsound

Last Thursday, our students presented their summer research projects at Summer Quest 2023. Congratulations on all your hard work! . . .#totheheights

Students petting a dog at Pause for Paws

@univpugetsound

Pause for Paws is our Roman Empire. Thank you @ups_panhellenic and @pugetsound_ifc for hosting our favorite therapy dogs from Therapy Dogs International! . . .#wegotthisloggers

Students paddleboarding in Commencement Bay

@univpugetsound

Who needs desks when you have a paddle board? Our Environmental Policy & Decision-Making Majors toured the Thea Foss Waterway with Lindsay Walker of Communities for a Healthy Bay to get a first hand look at the restoration of this environmental success story. . . .#ToTheHeights

Washington State Supreme Court justice with play button

@univpugetsound

Our students were invited to sit in on oral arguments for two Washington State Supreme Court cases on Day 2 of their campus visit! . . .#totheheights

Students from Puget Sound's Greek Life program cheer on Logger football.

@univpugetsound

Last weekend, Puget Sound’s Interfraternity Council hosted an open-invite, game day rally to watch Logger Football win their first game of the season! 📸: @photosby_abi . . .#totheheights

@univpugetsound

5 sports. 4 home games. 2 campuses. 1 day. Get ready for Logger Rally Day, tomorrow, September 16! Cross Country: 11 a.m. at PLU Women’s Soccer: Noon Football: 1 p.m. Men’s Soccer: 2:30 p.m. Volleyball: 6 p.m. See you there, Loggers! . . .#loggerup

CHANGING WORLD

VISIT CAMPUS

ONCE A LOGGER...

Why Puget Sound?

After Puget Sound

90%

75+

11:1

80%

200+

100%

Most Likely To Lead

Taking Play Seriously

Making Her Own Road

A Musical Career

PT Doc for Elite Skiers

Chess Champion and Author

A Career in Food

Making Spaces for Queer Women of Color

An IT Guy Above the Arctic Circle

Truly a Rocket Scientist

Puget Sound Professor Tanya Erzen Awarded Prestigious NEH Public Scholars Grant

University of Puget Sound Announces New Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences

COLLAGE: 13th Annual Faculty and Student Music Showcase

Discover Puget Sound Fall Open House

Homecoming & Family Weekend

Fall 2023 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture - Ross Gay

COLLAGE: 13th Annual Faculty and Student Music Showcase

Discover Puget Sound Fall Open House

Homecoming & Family Weekend

Fall 2023 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture - Ross Gay

Logger Life

Take a virtual tour