Best Community Colleges in Oregon 2024
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Oregon offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
10 Best Community Colleges in Oregon
- Portland Community College
- Central Oregon Community College
- Clackamas Community College
- Chemeketa Community College
- Lane Community College
- Clatsop Community College
- Rogue Community College
- Umpqua Community College
- Mt. Hood Community College
- Klamath Community College
- Portland Community College
- Chemeketa Community College
- Central Oregon Community College
- Lane Community College
- Clackamas Community College
- Rogue Community College
- Treasure Valley Community College
- Clatsop Community College
- Umpqua Community College
- Mt. Hood Community College
- Rogue Community College 21 to 1
- Mt. Hood Community College 20 to 1
- Chemeketa Community College 18 to 1
- Lane Community College 17 to 1
- Portland Community College 17 to 1
- Linn–Benton Community College 15 to 1
- Central Oregon Community College 15 to 1
- Umpqua Community College 14 to 1
- Klamath Community College 14 to 1
- Southwestern Oregon Community College 14 to 1
- Southwestern Oregon Community College $6,558
- Central Oregon Community College $5,724
- Linn–Benton Community College $5,540
- Clackamas Community College $5,265
- Oregon Coast Community College $5,148
- Blue Mountain Community College $5,130
- Lane Community College $4,770
- Treasure Valley Community College $4,684
- Chemeketa Community College $4,455
- Portland Community College $4,428
- Linn–Benton Community College
- Tillamook Bay Community College
- Oregon Coast Community College
- Treasure Valley Community College
- Columbia Gorge Community College
- Blue Mountain Community College
- Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Klamath Community College
- Mt. Hood Community College
- Umpqua Community College
- Linn–Benton Community College
- Tillamook Bay Community College
- Columbia Gorge Community College
- Blue Mountain Community College
- Oregon Coast Community College
- Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Klamath Community College
- Mt. Hood Community College
- Umpqua Community College
- Clatsop Community College
- Oregon Coast Community College 9 to 1
- Tillamook Bay Community College 9 to 1
- Clatsop Community College 11 to 1
- Columbia Gorge Community College 13 to 1
- Treasure Valley Community College 13 to 1
- Blue Mountain Community College 13 to 1
- Umpqua Community College 14 to 1
- Klamath Community College 14 to 1
- Southwestern Oregon Community College 14 to 1
- Clackamas Community College 14 to 1
- Clatsop Community College $3,780
- Tillamook Bay Community College $3,816
- Klamath Community College $3,996
- Columbia Gorge Community College $4,212
- Umpqua Community College $4,251
- Mt. Hood Community College $4,320
- Rogue Community College $4,320
- Portland Community College $4,428
- Chemeketa Community College $4,455
- Treasure Valley Community College $4,684
Colleges and Universities in Oregon
Oregon is home to over 40 higher education institutions, including Oregon State University, the largest in the state. More than 30,000 students are enrolled at this public research institution in Corvallis, and with a tuition of $11,000, the school comes in slightly above the national average. Students attending the next largest, the University of Oregon, will join in on a friendly intrastate rivalry against Oregon State. Though the tuition is higher at $12,000, the school boasts a student-faculty ratio of 16:1.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
Of the 21 private institutions, 10 are religiously based. Concordia University has the largest student population at just under 5,000 and a tuition of $31,000. Students who attend this private Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod university can study fields such as chemistry, psychology, and history. Oregon’s community colleges range in tuition from $4,000 to $6,000. The least expensive four-year institution in the state, Portland State University (PSU), comes in at $8,000. Students attending PSU can study a range of fields, including environmental engineering, film, and international business, right in the heart of the city.
Gaze at the Pacific Ocean from the Oregon Coast Highway, which travels along the entire coastal edge of the state. Taste Pacific Northwest wines from the Willamette Valley, or take a bike ride through the streets of Portland. Students looking to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in The Beaver State can enjoy a great higher education experience set against a stunning natural backdrop.
Discover what Oregon has to offer, and find a college that fits your career interests as well as your budget.
What are Oregon’s Colleges & Universities?
- 6 Research Universities
- 12 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 5 Graduate Schools
- 7 Public Colleges & Universities
- 10 Private Colleges & Universities
- 6 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 14 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 8 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 17 Community Colleges
- 4 Online Colleges
Oregon’s Best Overall
We’ve identified 17 community colleges in Oregon. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Oregon.
Best Community Colleges in Oregon
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
18%
Student body
37K
Career Outlook for degree at Portland Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,810Starting Salary: $41,200What is Portland Community College known for?
Portland Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
22%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Central Oregon Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,417Expenses: $17,883Starting Salary: $36,900Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Central Oregon Community College known for?
Central Oregon Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
20%
Student body
11K
Career Outlook for degree at Clackamas Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,850Starting Salary: $37,900What is Clackamas Community College known for?
Clackamas Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
19%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at Chemeketa Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,120Starting Salary: $35,600What is Chemeketa Community College known for?
Chemeketa Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
24%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at Lane Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,720Expenses: $14,790Starting Salary: $35,000Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Lane Community College known for?
Lane Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
15%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Clatsop Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,230Starting Salary: $31,800What is Clatsop Community College known for?
Clatsop Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
14%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Rogue Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,184Starting Salary: $32,900What is Rogue Community College known for?
Rogue Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
25%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Umpqua Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,477Expenses: $11,443Starting Salary: $34,600Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Umpqua Community College known for?
Umpqua Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
22%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at Mt. Hood Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,094Starting Salary: $38,100What is Mt. Hood Community College known for?
Mt. Hood Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Philosophy
- Communications
- Biology
- Law
- Literature
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
28%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Klamath Community College
Cost of Degree: $4,713Starting Salary: $30,300What is Klamath Community College known for?
Klamath Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
34%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Southwestern Oregon Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,637Expenses: $11,061Starting Salary: $36,200Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Southwestern Oregon Community College known for?
Southwestern Oregon Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
22%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Blue Mountain Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,851Starting Salary: $34,900What is Blue Mountain Community College known for?
Blue Mountain Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
16%
Student body
1K
What is Columbia Gorge Community College known for?
Columbia Gorge Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
26%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Treasure Valley Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,650Expenses: $10,380Starting Salary: $32,000Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Treasure Valley Community College known for?
Treasure Valley Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
16%
Student body
<1K
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
33%
Student body
<1K
What is Tillamook Bay Community College known for?
Tillamook Bay Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
22%
Student body
8K
Career Outlook for degree at Linn–Benton Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,950Starting Salary: $37,200What is Linn–Benton Community College known for?
Linn–Benton Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Biology
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Mathematics
- Earth Sciences
- Literature
- History
Most Influential Alumni
2021 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
- Lane Community College
- Klamath Community College
- Umpqua Community College
- Clatsop Community College
- Portland Community College
- Rogue Community College
- Clackamas Community College
- Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Central Oregon Community College
- Mt. Hood Community College
- Chemeketa Community College
- Blue Mountain Community College
- Columbia Gorge Community College
- Treasure Valley Community College
- Linn–Benton Community College
- Oregon Coast Community College
- Tillamook Bay Community College