Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024

Published: May 4, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Small colleges in Oregon are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

Reed College
University of Portland
Willamette University
Lewis & Clark College
Bushnell University
Pacific University
Southern Oregon University
George Fox University
Western Oregon University
Warner Pacific University

Eastern Oregon University 99%
Oregon Institute of Technology 93%
University of Portland 93%
Pacific University 92%
George Fox University 92%
Linfield University 89%
Southern Oregon University 88%
Western Oregon University 83%
Willamette University 81%
Warner Pacific University 72%

Southern Oregon University 23 to 1
Corban University 15 to 1
George Fox University 15 to 1
Oregon Institute of Technology 15 to 1
Western Oregon University 13 to 1
Lewis & Clark College 13 to 1
Eastern Oregon University 13 to 1
Bushnell University 12 to 1
Willamette University 11 to 1
Linfield University 10 to 1

Reed College $64,760
Lewis & Clark College $59,684
Pacific University $52,072
University of Portland $51,812
Linfield University $47,415
Willamette University $45,260
George Fox University $39,540
Corban University $35,767
Bushnell University $33,220
Warner Pacific University $20,240

Willamette University $44,493
Pacific University $36,103
Linfield University $30,738
University of Portland $24,804
Lewis & Clark College $18,450
Eastern Oregon University $18,378
Bushnell University $17,875
Western Oregon University $16,560
George Fox University $15,516
Southern Oregon University $14,175

Warner Pacific University
Bushnell University
Corban University
George Fox University
Linfield University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Eastern Oregon University
Pacific University
Western Oregon University
Southern Oregon University

Corban University
Linfield University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Eastern Oregon University
Warner Pacific University
Western Oregon University
George Fox University
Southern Oregon University
Pacific University
Bushnell University

Reed College 31%
Corban University 35%
Bushnell University 67%
Lewis & Clark College 69%
Warner Pacific University 72%
Willamette University 81%
Western Oregon University 83%
Southern Oregon University 88%
Linfield University 89%
George Fox University 92%

Warner Pacific University 5 to 1
University of Portland 9 to 1
Pacific University 9 to 1
Reed College 9 to 1
Linfield University 10 to 1
Willamette University 11 to 1
Bushnell University 12 to 1
Western Oregon University 13 to 1
Lewis & Clark College 13 to 1
Eastern Oregon University 13 to 1

Eastern Oregon University $8,213
Western Oregon University $8,730
Southern Oregon University $9,405
Oregon Institute of Technology $10,002
Warner Pacific University $20,240
Bushnell University $33,220
Corban University $35,767
George Fox University $39,540
Willamette University $45,260
Linfield University $47,415

Warner Pacific University $9,000
Corban University $9,760
Oregon Institute of Technology $13,803
Southern Oregon University $14,175
George Fox University $15,516
Western Oregon University $16,560
Bushnell University $17,875
Eastern Oregon University $18,378
Lewis & Clark College $18,450
University of Portland $24,804

Table of Contents

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?

Oregon’s Best Overall

The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Oregon is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 14 small colleges in Oregon. The list below of the best small colleges in Oregon. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

How do we determine Oregon's best small colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2023

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Oregon’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

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Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024

10 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024

Colleges and Universities in Oregon

What are Oregon’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Reed College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Willamette University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Portland

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Lewis & Clark College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Southern Oregon University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Western Oregon University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Pacific University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Oregon University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Oregon Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Linfield University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at George Fox University

Most Influential Alumni

George Fox University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Corban University

Corban University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Bushnell University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Warner Pacific University

Most Influential Alumni

Oregon’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest