Quad

Head-to-head

Central State
Western Oregon

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Central State's grants cover 80% of its full price on average, vs. 33% at Western Oregon

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Western Oregon graduates 27 pts more of its students than Central State (55% vs. 28%)

    Graduation rate
  3. 3

    Central State costs about $15.6K less per year on average than Western Oregon ($4,527 vs. $20,078, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Western Oregon grads earn $18.5K more ten years out than Central State's ($51,815 vs. $33,267)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  5. 5

    Central State has 12 pts more Pell recipients than Western Oregon (53% vs. 41%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  6. 6

    Western Oregon is a bit larger (3,103 vs. 2,620)

    Undergrads

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Western Oregon admits 98%, Central State 99%; both have the same yield, 19%.

Acceptance rate
Central State99%
Western Oregon98%
Quad's selectivity
  • Central StateOpen
  • Western OregonOpen
SAT middle 50%
Central StateTest-blind
Western OregonTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Central StateGPA, school record, and prep program required
  • Western OregonGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Western Oregon is a bit larger than Central State (3,103 vs. 2,620 undergrads); Central State has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Central State2.6K
Western Oregon3.1K
Pell Grant share
Central State53%
Western Oregon41%

Majors and faculty

Business/Commerce leads at Central State, and Education at Western Oregon; Western Oregon has 13 students per faculty member to Central State's 16.

Students per faculty member
Central State16 to 1
Western Oregon13 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Central StateBusiness/Commerce, General34%
  • Western OregonEducation, General17%

What each costs

Central State costs about $15.6K less a year than Western Oregon on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Central State$4.5K
Western Oregon$20.1K
Aid generosity
Central State80%
Western Oregon33%

What each pays off

Western Oregon's former students earn more, a median $51.8K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 55% at Western Oregon to 28% at Central State.

Median earnings, 10 years
Central State$33.3K
Western Oregon$51.8K
Graduation rate
Central State28%
Western Oregon55%

How each has changed

Applications held steady at Western Oregon but fell at Central State; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Central StateShrinking−53%
  • Western OregonSteady+6%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why