Oregon’s Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
What are the best colleges and universities in Oregon if you reward schools for making the best use of their limited resources? Academic Stewardship asks how effectively schools manage their financial and human resources to gain the influence that makes them academically excellent. Schools that are exemplary in Academic Stewardship are doing everything in their power to help students and faculty achieve their full potential.
Colleges and universities in Oregon deserve to be recognized when they do more with less. It’s impressive when a large wealthy school can spend money lavishly on expensive buildings and programs. But it’s even more impressive when a small school with limited means is able to train and inspire students that the larger wealthier schools tend to ignore.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities reported in late 2021 that almost 75 percent of higher-education professionals at US colleges and universities felt financial constraints prevented their schools from effectively attracting students. Distracted by the size and amenities of larger schools, prospective students tended especially to be overawed by the big research universities.
Oregon’s smaller colleges, especially its liberal arts colleges, need effective ways of communicating their value to a world that celebrates “bigger is better” and “you need the best.” Unfortunately, most college ranking companies, such as U.S. News & World Report, define “best” in a way that devalues schools with smaller budgets and fewer students even when these schools do remarkable work in advancing their students’ education. By and large, college rankings penalize schools that serve underserved populations.
Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell, who for years now has criticized conventional college rankings for misrepresenting what’s good and valuable in education, we decided to construct a new ranking metric that highlights those schools that do more with less. That metric—called the Academic Stewardship metric—takes away both the size and the wealth advantage of schools, and focuses instead on how well schools use the resources available to them to advance the education of their students.
How We Measure the Academic Stewardship of Oregon’s Colleges and Universities
As a metric, Academic Stewardship is defined by a precise mathematical formula, which can be found in our Academic Stewardship white paper. Measuring the Academic Stewardship of Oregon’s colleges requires measuring two forms of stewardship: 1) Stewardship of financial resources (using the money they have responsibility without waste) and 2) Stewardship of human resources (doing their best to help students, faculty, and administration to flourish). Together, these two types of stewardship form what we call Academic Stewardship. If you want to learn more about the factors involved in Academic Stewardship, click the more button below.
- Stewardship of financial resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of financial resources, we factored in its undergraduate size, budget, endowments and reserves, as well as tuition and fees. All these data are available from the National Center for Educational Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. In addition, we factored in a school’s financial responsibility as gauged by the Federal Student Aid Office at the US Department of Education through its financial responsibility composite scores.
- Stewardship of human resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of human resources, we used our InfluenceRanking engine to track the influence of the school’s faculty and alumni but also to control for size of the undergraduate student body. We’ve found that measuring a school’s influence based on the contributions of faculty and alumni make in their fields of study but then also controlling for size of the undergraduate population is the single best indicator of academic excellence. We call this Concentrated Influence. Schools that rank highly in Concentrated Influence are schools that, given their available human resources, invest heavily in their students and faculty, and the results are demonstrable.
- We measure the influence of colleges and universities based on the publications and citations of the schools’ faculty and alumni who are teaching in and working in areas related to their degrees. To do this, we take publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and Wikipedia and use these to measure the influence of academics in their disciplines. Having measured the influence of persons, we then identify the schools that they’re affiliated with, adding up the influence scores of the faculty and alumni to measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. Finally, we control these influence scores by size of undergraduate student body so that schools do not score high in influence simply because of a size advantage. We lay out these methodological considerations on our methodology page.
- Academic Stewardship: Having measured a school’s stewardship of financial and human resources in the two previous points, we now divide the second measure by the first to define the Academic Stewardship metric. This metric spotlights smaller schools, with fewer financial resources and people, that invest wisely and do proportionately better in building influence than large wealthy schools. Many of these smaller, less wealthy schools are incentivized to make better use of their resources but would never get recognized in conventional school rankings, which directly or indirectly put a premium on the wealth of schools.
Academic Stewardship as so defined is connected to keeping tuition and other costs down, but it should not be confused with affordability or frugality. The schools that this metric ranks as exemplary academic stewards tend to be all over the map when it comes to tuition and other costs. At issue is the influence of schools given the financial and human resources they have on hand. If a school is going to charge more for tuition, then that needs to be reflected in the school having proportionately greater influence.
Why Academic Stewardship Matters to Students and Their Families
The benefits of attending a school with strong academic stewardship include:
- A clear reason for why students are at the school in the first place. Without the distraction of amenities and luxuries, these schools are at once unpretentious but also passionately committed to their educational mission. The schools in this ranking are financially efficient and academically rigorous. By avoiding frills, these schools take the most direct path to accomplishing their mission of educating students.
- Valuing character over prestige and self-indulgence. A school that’s a good steward of its resources doesn’t instill shame in its students over what they are missing (such as elite cuisine) but rather pride in what they have and making the most of it. These schools exhibit a culture of good stewardship, which tends to build good character in the students that attend these schools.
- Avoiding the spoiled-student syndrome. It’s easy to think that offering students endless options and opportunities will enrich their time at school in every way. But spoiling people—whether in business, sports, or academics—has the opposite effect, causing people to take their advantages for granted and in the end achieving less than they might otherwise, a point well-documented in Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code. Schools exhibiting academic stewardship avoid this pitfall.
- The best schools vs. the schools that help students to be their best. Students at schools demonstrating outstanding academic stewardship aren’t so much concerned about being at the “best” school, whatever that may mean, as about being at a school that helps them to be their best. These schools pay attention to their students, hoping that any glory goes to them rather than to the school. Small schools, and especially liberal arts colleges, help themselves by communicating this advantage to prospective students.
- Emphasizing development over talent and achievement. Schools like Harvard and Stanford have their pick of academic talent, and their students have a long record of achievement even before they apply to such elite schools. But if a school doesn’t have the resources of a Harvard or Stanford, how does it build a great team of students? In that case, it must focus on student development. Colleges exemplifying academic stewardship emphasize student growth and development, ensuring that the schools are doing everything in their power to help students reach their full potential and thereby become their best selves.
Oregon’s Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
- #3 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #5 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #10 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #10 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
Other Rankings
- #18 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
- #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #1 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #2 Best Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2024
- #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees
- #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #14 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #15 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #18 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees
- #18 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees
- #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #20 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #22 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees
- #24 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees
Tuition + fees
$65K
Acceptance
31%
Graduation
80%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1410/31
Career Outlook for degree at Reed College
Cost of Degree: $64,760Expenses: $18,550Starting Salary: $52,700Cost Recoup Time: 21 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Reed College known for?
Reed College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Physics
- Economics
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #2 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024 #2 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Colleges in Oregon 2024
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
76%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Willamette University
Cost of Degree: $45,260Expenses: $16,852Starting Salary: $57,900Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Willamette University known for?
Willamette University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #4 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024 #4 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
73%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/30
Career Outlook for degree at Lewis & Clark College
Cost of Degree: $59,684Expenses: $17,486Starting Salary: $55,000Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Lewis & Clark College known for?
Lewis & Clark College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
46%
Student body
11K
Career Outlook for degree at Southern Oregon University
Cost of Degree: $11,691Expenses: $18,318Starting Salary: $43,400Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Southern Oregon University known for?
Southern Oregon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Communications
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Business
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Literature
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #6 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
48%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Western Oregon University
Cost of Degree: $10,602Expenses: $14,556Starting Salary: $43,400Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Western Oregon University known for?
Western Oregon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Education
- Mathematics
- History
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #7 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2024 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Oregon 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #3 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
- #3 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #6 Best Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Nursing Degrees
- #20 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Business Degrees in 2024
- #22 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees
- #22 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Work Degrees
- #23 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2024
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1319/29
Career Outlook for degree at University of Portland
Cost of Degree: $51,812Expenses: $21,004Starting Salary: $62,500Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is University of Portland known for?
University of Portland’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Business
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Biology
- Education
- Communications
- Social Work
- Political Science
- Mathematics
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Grad Schools in Oregon 2024 #4 Best Research Universities in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #7 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
66%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/23
Career Outlook for degree at Pacific University
Cost of Degree: $52,072Expenses: $17,258Starting Salary: $51,400Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Pacific University known for?
Pacific University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #3 Best Christian Colleges in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Grad Schools in Oregon 2024 #5 Best Research Universities in Oregon 2024 #7 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
71%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/25
Career Outlook for degree at George Fox University
Cost of Degree: $39,540Expenses: $16,850Starting Salary: $51,000Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is George Fox University known for?
George Fox University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Biology
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- History
- Literature
- Engineering
- Communications
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
George Fox University’s Online Degrees
BS in Management And Organizational Leadership
- Required Credits: 126
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Project Management
- Required Credits: 126
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Elementary Education
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Social And Behavioral Studies
- Required Credits: 126
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #3 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #3 Best Grad Schools in Oregon 2024 #3 Best Research Universities in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
- #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #4 Best Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #24 Best Research Universities for Criminal Justice Degrees
- #1 Best Online Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Social Work Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
- #2 Best Online MBA Programs in Oregon
- #3 Best Online Master's Programs in Oregon 2024
- #3 Best Online Bachelor's in Philosophy Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
- #4 Best Online Bachelor's in Criminal Justice
- #6 Best Online Master's in Social Work MSW
- #7 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting
- #8 Best Data Science Online Master’s Programs
- #13 Best Online Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts and Humanities Degree Programs for 2024
- #17 Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree Programs
- #19 Best Online Bachelor's in Public Health Degree Programs for Students
- #20 The Best Online Colleges Ranked for Students in 2024
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
53%
Student body
28K
Career Outlook for degree at Portland State University
Cost of Degree: $10,206Expenses: $18,639Starting Salary: $50,800Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Portland State University known for?
Portland State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- Literature
- Business
- History
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
Portland State University’s Online Degrees
BS in Accounting
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Accounting
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Business Technology And Analytics
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Technology And Analytics
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Human Resources Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Human Resources Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management And Leadership
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Management And Leadership
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Supply And Logistics Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Criminology And Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminology And Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Arts And Letters
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Cultural History Of The Arts
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Liberal Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Liberal Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Philosophy
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Philosophy
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Social Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Social Work
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Public Health Studies: Aging
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Public Health Studies: Aging
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Public Health Studies: Community Health Promotion
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Public Health Studies: Community Health Promotion
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #1 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #1 Best Grad Schools in Oregon 2024 #1 Best Research Universities in Oregon 2024 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
73%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/27
Career Outlook for degree at University of Oregon
Cost of Degree: $14,112Expenses: $18,585Starting Salary: $51,300Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is University of Oregon known for?
University of Oregon’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Communications
- History
- Business
- Education
- Social Work
- Literature
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #15 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers #2 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #2 Best Grad Schools in Oregon 2024 #2 Best Research Universities in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
- #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #3 Best Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #1 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Computer Science
- #1 Best Online MBA Programs in Oregon
- #1 Top 15 Fastest Accelerated Online Counseling Doctorates (PhDs)
- #2 Best Online Master's Programs in Oregon 2024
- #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Nevada
- #7 Top 18 Most Affordable No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs
- #8 Top 16 Most Affordable Online Counseling PhDs (Doctorates)
- #9 The Most Affordable Online Clinical Nutrition Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
- #10 Best Online Bachelor's in Construction Management Degree Programs
- #17 Top 50 Best No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
70%
Student body
40K
Career Outlook for degree at Oregon State University
Cost of Degree: $12,664Expenses: $17,679Starting Salary: $56,700Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Oregon State University known for?
Oregon State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #6 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #8 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
38%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Oregon University
Cost of Degree: $10,196Expenses: $15,465Starting Salary: $44,100Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Eastern Oregon University known for?
Eastern Oregon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Economics
- Education
- Business
- History
- Mathematics
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Christian Colleges in Oregon 2024 #8 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #4 Best Online MBA Programs in Oregon
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
35%
Graduation
54%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Corban University
Cost of Degree: $35,767Expenses: $15,688Starting Salary: $40,200Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Corban University known for?
Corban University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Corban University’s Online Degrees
BS in Business
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Leadership And Management
- Marketing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Interdisciplinary Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Psychology
Degree Concentrations
- Family Studies
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #7 Best Public Colleges in Oregon 2024 #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #9 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
57%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1152/26
Career Outlook for degree at Oregon Institute of Technology
Cost of Degree: $12,122Expenses: $15,321Starting Salary: $57,800Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Oregon Institute of Technology known for?
Oregon Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
52%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Bushnell University
Cost of Degree: $33,220Expenses: $13,780Starting Salary: $45,700Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Bushnell University known for?
Bushnell University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Philosophy
- Social Work
- Medical
- Psychology
- Nursing
- Communications
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Oregon 2024 #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Oregon 2024 #10 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Oregon
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
43%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Warner Pacific University
Cost of Degree: $20,240Expenses: $12,672Starting Salary: $45,200Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Warner Pacific University known for?
Warner Pacific University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Oregon 2024 #6 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024 #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2024 #10 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
71%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Linfield University
Cost of Degree: $49,417Expenses: $17,400Starting Salary: $60,300Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Linfield University known for?
Linfield University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Oregon’s Best Colleges in Your Area of Interest
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