Portland State University

www.pdx.edu

Add Comparison

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,694

3.5% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$12,509

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0179%

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

90.9%

8,877 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

20,519

62.1% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

53.1%

958 Graduates

About

Portland State University is a higher education institution located in Multnomah County, OR. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Portland State University were General Psychology (350 degrees awarded), General Social Sciences (275 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (233 degrees).

In 2023, 6,783 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Portland State University. 60.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,727 degrees), 3.39 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,101 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $8,694, which is $−22,309 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Portland State University was 0.0179%, corresponding to 1 out of the 5,580 total borrowers.

Photo by David Wilson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $8,694, which is $22,310 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,509.

In 2023, 53% of undergraduate students attending Portland State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 33% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$8,694

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Portland State University was $8,694. The cost of tuition at Portland State University is $−22,310 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Portland State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$12,509

2023 Value

23.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Portland State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,509. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Portland State University grew by 23.1%.

This chart compares the average net price of Portland State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$13,398

Room and Board

$888

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Portland State University was of $13,398 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 10.3% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $888. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 26% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Portland State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

53%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

33%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

53% of undergraduate students at Portland State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 11.7% with respect to 2022, when 60% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Portland State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0179%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Portland State University was 0.0179%, which represents 1 out of the 5580 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Portland State University received 8,877 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 12% annual growth. Out of those 8,877 applicants, 8,070 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 90.9% acceptance rate.

There were 20,519 students enrolled at Portland State University in 2023. 1% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Portland State University has an overall enrollment yield of 19.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

90.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

8,070

Accepted Out of 8,877

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Portland State University was 90.9% (8,070 admissions from 8,877 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 93.1%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 12%, while admissions grew by 9.38%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Portland State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2023)

Scores Submitted (2023)

1% of enrolled first-time students at Portland State University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Portland State University had a total enrollment of 20,519 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 12,744 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,775. This means that 62.1% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.7% White, 19.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 7.44% Two or More Races, 4.41% Black or African American, 0.58% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.546% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Portland State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (26.7%), followed by White Male (19%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (14.3%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (33.3%), followed by White Male (16.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.45%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

62.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Portland State University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 20,519 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 12,744 and the part-time enrollment is 7,775. This means that 62.1% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Portland State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

75%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Portland State University was 75%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Portland State University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Portland State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
9,984 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,910 enrolled students
Asian
1,868 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Portland State University is 48.7% White, 19.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 7.44% Two or More Races, 4.41% Black or African American, 0.58% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.546% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 938 students (4.57%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 1,431 more women than men received degrees from Portland State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Portland State University is white (3,727 degrees awarded). There were 3.39 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,101 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Portland State University is General Psychology (350 degrees awarded), followed by General Social Sciences (275 degrees) and Liberal Arts & Sciences (233 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Portland State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Public Administration and Social Service (483 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (95 degrees), and Social Sciences (589 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Portland State University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (412,435 people), Other managers (332,484 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (229,646 people), Social workers, all other (209,469 people), and Postsecondary teachers (191,845 people).

The most specialized majors at Portland State University in 2023 are Public Administration and Social Service (483 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (95 degrees), Social Sciences (589 degrees), English (145 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (75 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Portland State University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at Portland State University are Public Administration and Social Service (483 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (95 degrees), Social Sciences (589 degrees), English (145 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (75 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Portland State University are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Portland State University.

Most Common (2023)

General Psychology
350 degrees awarded
General Social Sciences
275 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
233 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Portland State University was General Psychology with 350 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Portland State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,676

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

4,107

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 2,676 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University, which is 0.652 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,107).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Portland State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 194 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Computer Science, which is 3.4 times more than the 57 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 321 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Social Work, which is 4.65 times more than the 69 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

29%

100% Completion Time

54%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 29% of students graduating from Portland State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 54% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 57% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (69.5%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Portland State University is Female and Asian (69.5% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.34% of graduates (32 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
3,727 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,101 degrees awarded
Asian
553 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Portland State University is white (3,727 degrees awarded). There were 3.39 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,101 degrees).

2.82% of degree recipients (191 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
2,297 degrees awarded
White Male
1,430 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
713 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Portland State University is white female (2,297 degrees awarded). There were 1.61 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,430 degrees).

Operations

Portland State University has an endowment valued at nearly $112M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 5.09M (4.54%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Portland State University had a total salary expenditure of 543M. Portland State University employs 222 Associate professors, 218 Professors and 189 Assistant professors. Most academics at Portland State University are Male Professor (139), Female Assistant professor (120), and Female Associate professor (112).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 510 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 201 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 173 employees.

Endowment

$112M

2023 Endowment

13.2%

growth from 2022

Portland State University has an endowment valued at about $112M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Portland State University grew 13.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $322M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Portland State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$46.3M - Federal
$21.3M - State
$3.23M - Local

As of 2023, Portland State University received $46.3M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $21.3M from state grants and contracts, and $3.23M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$244M

2023 Salaries

4.86%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Portland State University paid a median of $244M in salaries, which represents 44.9% of their overall expenditure ($543M) and a 4.86% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.25% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 5.22% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$73.8M

Instructional Salaries

716

Number of Employees

In 2023, Portland State University paid a total of $73.8M to 716 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

222 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

510 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Portland State University were Associate professor with 222 employees, Professor with 218 employees, and Assistant professor with 189 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University were Business and Financial Operations with 510 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 201 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 173 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Female Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Portland State University was Male Professor with 139 employees, Female Assistant professor with 120 employees, and Female Associate professor with 112 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Portland State University.

Keep Exploring

Florida Atlantic University

University

Georgia State University

University

Washington State University

University

Azusa Pacific University

University

Edgewood College

University