Best Online Colleges in Oregon 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE COLLEGES IN OREGON

Published: Jan 4, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Oregon ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Best Online Colleges in Oregon

Portland State University
George Fox University
Warner Pacific University
Corban University

Portland State University
George Fox University
Warner Pacific University
Corban University

Portland State University 93%
George Fox University 92%
Warner Pacific University 72%
Corban University 35%

Portland State University 17 to 1
George Fox University 15 to 1
Corban University 15 to 1
Warner Pacific University 5 to 1

George Fox University $39,540
Corban University $35,767
Warner Pacific University $20,240
Portland State University $8,400

George Fox University $15,516
Portland State University $15,048
Corban University $9,760
Warner Pacific University $9,000

Corban University
Warner Pacific University
George Fox University
Portland State University

Corban University
Warner Pacific University
George Fox University
Portland State University

Corban University 35%
Warner Pacific University 72%
George Fox University 92%
Portland State University 93%

Warner Pacific University 5 to 1
George Fox University 15 to 1
Corban University 15 to 1
Portland State University 17 to 1

Portland State University $8,400
Warner Pacific University $20,240
Corban University $35,767
George Fox University $39,540

Warner Pacific University $9,000
Corban University $9,760
Portland State University $15,048
George Fox University $15,516

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

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

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2024

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Colleges in Oregon 2023

#1
Portland State University
Portland , OR
#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
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
53%
Student body
28K
Career Outlook for degree at Portland State University
Cost of Degree: $10,206
Expenses: $18,639
Starting Salary: $50,800
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degrees
BA/BS in Accounting

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Art History

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Arts and Letters

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Business

Concentrations

Human Resources Management
Management and Leadership
Supply and Logistics Management

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Business Technology and Analytics

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Conflict Resolution

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA in Cultural History of the Arts

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Liberal Studies

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Philosophy

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Public Health Studies

Concentrations

Community Health Promotion
Health Services Administration
Healthy Aging

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Science

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Social Science

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA/BS in Social Work

Required Credits: 180
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
Compare school
#2
George Fox University
Newberg , OR
#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
- #16 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Business Administration Doctorates
- #25 Best Online Bachelor’s of Elementary Education Degree Programs for 2024
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: $39,540
Expenses: $16,850
Starting Salary: $51,000
Cost Recoup Time: 17 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degree Completion Programs
BS in Elementary Education

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 16-20 months
Format: Online
BA in Healthcare Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 16 months
Format: Online
BA in Management and Organizational Leadership

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 16 months
Format: Online
BS in Project Management

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 16 months
Format: Online
BA in Psychology and Mental Health Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 16 months
Format: Online
Compare school
#3
Warner Pacific University
Portland , OR
#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
- #7 Best Online Master's Programs in Oregon 2024
- #16 Best Online Bachelor's in Human Development Degree Programs for 2024
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
43%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Warner Pacific University
Cost of Degree: $20,240
Expenses: $12,672
Starting Salary: $45,200
Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
BS in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
BSED in Early Childhood/Elementary Education

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
BS in Healthcare Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
BA in Human Resource Management

Required Credits: 120-128
Completion time: 2-4 years
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing (RN-to-BSN)

Required Credits: 120-128
Completion time: 2-4 years
Format: Online
BA in Psychology and Human Development

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
Compare school
#4
Corban University
Salem , OR
#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
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
35%
Graduation
54%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Corban University
Cost of Degree: $35,767
Expenses: $15,688
Starting Salary: $40,200
Cost Recoup Time: 19 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degrees
BS in Business

Concentrations

Accounting
Leadership and Management
Marketing

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BS in Interdisciplinary Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
BA in Psychology

Concentrations

Counseling Psychology
Family Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion time: 4-6 years
Format: Online
Compare school

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Best Online Colleges in Oregon 2024

Best Online Colleges in Oregon

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Oregon

What are Oregon’s Colleges & Universities?

Oregon’s Best Overall

Best Online Colleges in Oregon 2023

Portland State University

Career Outlook for degree at Portland State University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

George Fox University

Career Outlook for degree at George Fox University

Online Degree Completion Programs

Warner Pacific University

Career Outlook for degree at Warner Pacific University

Online Degrees

Corban University

Career Outlook for degree at Corban University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations