Quad

Portland State University

Portland, ORQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Portland State admits about 9 in 10 applicants (91%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 20% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

91%

91%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

9,077

Admitted

8,248

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

Applications +53% since fall 2014 · admit rate 69% → 91%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 13,182 undergrads, where 42% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

13.2K

undergrads · larger than 91% of colleges

Diversity index

0.71

Pell Grant

42%

above the median

First generation

39%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-I FCS · Big Sky ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.61 → 0.71 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Psychology, General (10% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 57% of faculty are full-time. Spends $13,280 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Psychology, General

10% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$113.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

57%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$13.3K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $22,192 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.1K less than the national median. The 89% who received grants paid $10,195 on average; the other 11% paid the full sticker price of $28,023 in-state / $46,923 out-of-state.

30%

$22.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.1K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$28,023 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 30% of full price

Federal loans

32%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −27% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $57,906 ten years after enrolling, more than at 62% of colleges; 58% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

58%

58%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$57.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.5K

≈ $217/month for 10 years

Retention

76%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 42% → 53% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 15% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 27%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 53% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 69% to 91%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −27% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +53%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 69% → 91%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.61 → 0.71

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Sam Houston State University

90% admit · SAT 1025 · 17.7K undergrads

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East Texas A&M University

92% admit · SAT 1030 · 9.9K undergrads

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California State University-Chico

91% admit · SAT 1054 · 13.6K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
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Southern Connecticut State University

91% admit · 6.3K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Portland State University (2026)

    Portland State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 209807 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything