Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges 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.
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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.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 10 private universities in Oregon. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Oregon, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
73%
Student body
1K
Reed College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
72%
Student body
2K
Willamette University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
81%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/26
University of Portland’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
74%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1289/29
Lewis & Clark College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
71%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/24
Pacific University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
67%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
Linfield University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
69%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/23
George Fox University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
38%
Graduation
64%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/20
Corban University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
60%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1097/20
Bushnell University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
34%
Student body
<1K
Warner Pacific University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
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.
Check out our directory of private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.
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