UO vs. Portland State University

Should I go to University of Oregon or Portland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UO or Portland State University 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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University of Oregon vs. Portland State University comparison
University of Oregon Portland State University College 3 College 4
University of Oregon Portland State University
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Overview

UO Portland State University
Location Eugene, OR Portland, OR
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 23,786 20,519
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #340 #689
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uoregon.edu pdx.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UO Portland State University
Tuition (In State) $13,014 $9,315
Tuition (Out of State) $40,647 $28,215
Room & Board $15,840 $13,728
Avg Net Price $23,917 $12,509
Avg Grant Aid $8,547 $8,827
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 84%

Admission

UO Portland State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,400 8,877
Admitted 33,532 8,070
Acceptance Rate 85.1% 90.9%
Enrolled % 15% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 17/24
SAT Range 1130/1360 1000/1250
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

UO Portland State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

UO Portland State University
Graduation Rate 66% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,101 $22,634
Median Loan Payment $218 $234

Diversity

UO Portland State University
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 9% 14%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 60% 59%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 14% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

UO Portland State University
% In-State 47% 80%
% Out-of-State 51% 18%

Campus

UO Portland State University
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

  • University of Oregon is larger than than Portland State University based on total student enrollment (23,786 students vs. 20,519 students)

UO vs. Portland State University Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Oregon is 39.7% more expensive to attend than Portland State University for in-state tuition ($13,014.00 vs. $9,315.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.1% higher at UO than Portland State University ($40,647.00 vs. $28,215.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Portland State University than UO ($12,509 vs. $23,917)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Portland State University are 15.4% lower than costs at University of Oregon ($13,728 vs. $15,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Oregon than Portland State University (85% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Portland State University students is 3.3% larger than aid received University of Oregon ($8,827 vs. $8,547)

UO vs. Portland State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Oregon (1119) is 80 points higher than at Portland State University (1039)
  • Incoming UO students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Portland State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman UO students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Portland State University (3.36)
  • Portland State University has a higher acceptance rate (90.9%) than UO (85.1%)

UO vs. Portland State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UO or Portland State University? 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 Portland State University and UO.

  • The graduation rate at UO is higher than Portland State University (66% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Oregon earn on average $400 more per year than Portland State University graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,600)
  • University of Oregon students graduate with a $1,533 lower median federal student loan debt than Portland State University graduates. ($21,101 vs. $22,634)
  • UO graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Portland State University graduates. ($218 vs. $234)
  • More UO graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Portland State University students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 55%)

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