Portland State University

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

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About Portland State University

School Type: Public

Religious Affiliation: Not applicable

Status: Non-profit

Military Friendly: Yes

Accreditation: regional

Portland State University is a large public university located on an urban campus in Portland, Oregon. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 17,753, and admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 98%. The university offers 87 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 54%, and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $8,106, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $25,746.

Portland, OR

$8,106

Avg in-state
tuition

$25,746

Avg out-of-state
tuition

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Rankings

Learn more about how this school compares to other schools with rankings by BestColleges.

Admissions Breakdown

98%

Acceptance Rate Insight

98% of students were accepted during the 2021-2022 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

76%

Retention Rate Insight

76% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2020 and returned in Fall 2021.

54%

Graduation Rate Insight

54% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2015. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scoresConsidered (not required)

High school transcriptRequired

High school rankNot required or recommended

Letter of recommendationRecommended

High school GPARequired

Open admissionNo

Completion of college prep programRequired

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL)Required

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollmentYes

Credit for qualified life experience*Yes

Advance placement (AP) creditsYes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

ACT 25th-75th Percentile17-24

SAT 25th-75th Percentile1000-1250

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

23k

Students enrolled

43%

Online student enrollment

19:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

OnlineCheck Bold
On-campusCheck Bold
HybridCheck Bold
InternationalCheck Bold

Demographics

White

52%

Unknown

5%

Black

4%

Hispanic

17%

Two or more races

6%

Non-U.S. Citizen

5%

Asian

10%

American Indian/Alaska Native

1%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

1%

Socio-economic diversity

58% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

58%

Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Yes

Online Programs

30

Total Online Enrollment

9,915

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

89% On-campus

11% Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

CertificatesX BoldNot offered

AssociateX BoldNot offered

Bachelor'sCheck Bold13% online

Graduate CertificateCheck Bold14% online

Master'sCheck Bold10% online

DoctorateX BoldNot offered

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Student LevelIn-stateOut-of-state
Undergraduate$59,784$59,784
Graduate$54,672$54,672

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Costs to ConsiderPrice
Books and supplies$1,200
On-campus room and board$17,758
On-campus other expenses$2,600
Off-campus (not with family) room and boardCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (not with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable

Total Undergraduate Cost

Total cost by categoryIn-stateOut-of-state
On-campus$81,342$81,342
Off-campus without family$60,984$60,984
Off-campus with family$60,984$60,984

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Federal Grant Aid

58%

State Grant Aid

42%

Institution Grant Aid

57%

Pell Grant

58%

Average Aid Awarded

Federal Grant Aid$4,700
State Grant Aid$3,255
Institution Grant Aid$4,325
Pell Grant Aid$4,408

Financial Outlook

$21k

Average student debtafter graduation

$38k

Average salary 6 years after starting school

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FCS

1.6%

of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.

Participation

MenWomen
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Tennis
  • Track Field Indoor
  • Track Field Outdoor
  • Track Field Xcountry
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Volleyball

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2021-2022 academic year.

#ProgramsBAMADoc
1Architecture And Related Services.
2Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies.
3Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, And Group Studies.
4Biological And Biomedical Sciences.
5Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services.
6Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs.
7Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services.
8Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services.
9Education.
10Engineering Technologies/Technicians.
11Engineering.
12Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians.
13English Language And Literature/Letters.
14Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences.
15Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics.
16Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences.
17Health Professions And Related Programs.
18History
19History.
20Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services.
21Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities.
22Mathematics And Statistics.
23Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies.
24Natural Resources And Conservation.
25Philosophy And Religious Studies.
26Physical Sciences.
27Psychology.
28Public Administration And Social Service Professions.
29Security And Protective Services.
30Social Sciences.
31Visual And Performing Arts.

Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2021-2022]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.