Portland State University vs. URI

Should I go to Portland State University or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Portland State University or URI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Portland State University vs. University of Rhode Island comparison
Portland State University University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Portland State University University of Rhode Island
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Overview

Portland State University URI
Location Portland, OR Kingston, RI
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 21,609 17,473
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #730 #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pdx.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Portland State University URI
Tuition (In State) $9,000 $13,586
Tuition (Out of State) $27,900 $32,068
Room & Board $14,940 $13,584
Avg Net Price $16,273 $20,695
Avg Grant Aid $9,750 $13,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 97%

Admission

Portland State University URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,926 25,481
Admitted 7,378 19,465
Acceptance Rate 93.1% 76.4%
Enrolled % 22.1% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 25/30
SAT Range 1000/1250 1050/1270
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Portland State University URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Portland State University URI
Graduation Rate 38% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,634 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $234 $242

Diversity

Portland State University URI
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 71%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

Portland State University URI
% In-State 78% 40%
% Out-of-State 20% 59%

Campus

Portland State University URI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Portland State University is larger than than URI based on total student enrollment (21,609 students vs. 17,473 students)

Portland State University vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Portland State University or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 51% more expensive to attend than Portland State University for in-state tuition ($13,586.00 vs. $9,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.9% higher at URI than Portland State University ($32,068.00 vs. $27,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Portland State University than URI ($16,273 vs. $20,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 10% lower than costs at Portland State University ($13,584 vs. $14,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rhode Island than Portland State University (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 36% larger than aid received Portland State University ($13,257 vs. $9,750)

Portland State University vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Portland State University or URI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between URI or Portland State University .

  • The average SAT score at University of Rhode Island (1077) is 38 points higher than at Portland State University (1039)
  • Incoming URI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Portland State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at Portland State University (3.36)
  • Portland State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than URI (76.4%)

Portland State University vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Portland State University or URI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between URI and Portland State University.

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Portland State University (63% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $7,600 more per year than Portland State University graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $48,600)
  • Portland State University students graduate with a $804 lower median federal student loan debt than URI graduates. ($22,634 vs. $23,438)
  • Portland State University graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than URI graduates. ($234 vs. $242)
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Portland State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/