Portland, OR · Public · 13,182 undergraduates · urban
Portland State University
Less selective
Portland State treats the city itself as a working laboratory, especially through community-based projects, urban studies, sustainability, and senior capstones.
Institutional profile
Well established Strong in mobility, and strong in affordability.- Admission
- 90.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 57.8%
8,877 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$57,906 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Portland State University apart
Academic design
Urban planning, sustainability, business, engineering, social sciences, public service, and community-engaged learning are prominent.
Campus pattern
Campus occupies downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks rather than a separate college enclave.
Career & value signal
Direct access to city government, nonprofits, technology, design, transportation, healthcare, and regional employers.
Can I get in?
90.9% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
8,877About 91 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
With one-year access
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Portland State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landWith one-year access
What Portland State University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Urban planning, sustainability, business, engineering, social sciences, public service, and community-engaged learning are prominent.
Make institutional fit specific
Portland State treats the city itself as a working laboratory, especially through community-based projects, urban studies, sustainability, and senior capstones.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: u.s. only
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
ArchitectureAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
With one-year access
Average annual cost by household income at Portland State University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Psychology, General
Social Sciences, General
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Marketing
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Portland State University beyond the classroom
Campus occupies downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks rather than a separate college enclave.
A defining academic feature
Urban planning, sustainability, business, engineering, social sciences, public service, and community-engaged learning are prominent.
What shapes an ordinary week
Campus occupies downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks rather than a separate college enclave.
Where the degree can lead
Direct access to city government, nonprofits, technology, design, transportation, healthcare, and regional employers.