Portland State University

www.pdx.edu

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$6,462

4.97% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$12,710

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

6.32%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

95.8%

6,861 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

25,321

64.6% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

49.1%

661 Graduates

About

Portland State University is a higher education institution located in Multnomah County, OR. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Portland State University were General Psychology (320 degrees awarded), General Social Sciences (234 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (227 degrees).

In 2019, 7,354 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Portland State University. 58.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,337 degrees), 4.54 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (955 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $6,462, which is $−22,038 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by David Wilson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $6,462, which is $−22,038 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,710.

In 2019, 52% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 42% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$6,462

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Portland State University was $6,462. The cost of tuition at Portland State University is $−22,038 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

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

Average Net Price

$12,710

2019 Value

7.62%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Portland State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,710. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Portland State University grew by 7.62%.

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

$13,215

Room and Board

$1,263

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Portland State University was of $13,215 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,263. The cost of room and board increased by 2.99% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

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

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

52%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

42%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

52% of undergraduate students at Portland State University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 6.12% with respect to 2018, when 49% 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.

6.32%

2017 Default Rate

400

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Portland State University was 6.32%, which represents 400 out of the 6332 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 6,861 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 1.75% annual growth. Out of those 6,861 applicants, 6,573 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 95.8% acceptance rate.

There were 25,321 students enrolled at Portland State University in 2019, and 42% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Portland State University has an overall enrollment yield of 25.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

95.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

6,573

Accepted Out of 6,861

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Portland State University was 95.8% (6,573 admissions from 6,861 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 90.2%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants grew by 1.75%, while admissions grew by 8.07%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Portland State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

42%

Submission Percentage

699

Scores Submitted

42% of enrolled first-time students at Portland State University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Portland State University has a total enrollment of 25,321 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 16,370 students and the part-time enrollment is 8,951. This means that 64.6% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 50.9% White, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.41% Asian, 6.01% Two or More Races, 3.42% Black or African American, 1.03% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.521% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Portland State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.1%), followed by White Male (21%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (10.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.9%), followed by White Male (21.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.45%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

64.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 25,321 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 16,370 and the part-time enrollment is 8,951. This means that 64.6% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% 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

74%

2019 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 74%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), 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

White
12,897
Hispanic or Latino
3,736
Asian
2,129

The enrolled student population at Portland State University is 50.9% White, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.41% Asian, 6.01% Two or More Races, 3.42% Black or African American, 1.03% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.521% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% 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, 2,144 students (8.47%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 1212 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 (4,337 degrees awarded). There were 4.54 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (955 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Portland State University is General Psychology (320 degrees awarded), followed by General Social Sciences (234 degrees) and Liberal Arts & Sciences (227 degrees).

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 Architecture and Related Services (98 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (436 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (131 degrees).

Workforce

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 (325,551 people), Other managers (292,239 people), Social workers, all other (220,640 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (170,707 people), and Postsecondary teachers (138,592 people).

The most specialized majors at Portland State University are Architecture and Related Services (98 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (436 degrees), Language & Linguistics (131 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (352 degrees), and Social Sciences (621 degrees).

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, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Dentists, and Public relations specialists

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 (459,143 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (314,339 people), Legal services (256,554 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (235,819 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (207,461 people).

Degrees

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

General Psychology
320 degree-majorss awarded
General Social Sciences
234 degree-majorss awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
227 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Portland State University was General Psychology with 320 degrees awarded.

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

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

3,071

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

4,283

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 3,071 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University, which is 0.717 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,283).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 183 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Computer Science, which is 3.98 times more than the 46 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 260 degrees were awarded to women at Portland State University in Teacher Education & Professional Development, which is 2.39 times more than the 109 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

21%

100% Completion Time

49%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 21% of students graduating from Portland State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 49% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 55% 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.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (66.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Portland State University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (66.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

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, 2.12% of graduates (14 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,337 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
955 degrees awarded
Asian
518 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Portland State University is white (4,337 degrees awarded). There were 4.54 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (955 degrees).

3.11% of degree recipients (229 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
2,585 degrees awarded
White Male
1,752 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
607 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Portland State University is white female (2,585 degrees awarded). There were 1.48 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,752 degrees).

Operations

Portland State University has an endowment valued at nearly $2.53M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $11.1M (439%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, Portland State University had a total salary expenditure of $539M. Portland State University employs 209 Professors, 202 Associate professors, and 198 Assistant professors. Most academics at Portland State University are Male Professors (141), Female Assistant professors(123), and Male Associate professors (111).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 466 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 219 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 203 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$2.53M

2019 Endowment

0.586%

decline from 2018

Portland State University has an endowment valued at about $2.53M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Portland State University declined 0.586% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $308M 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

$45.6M - Federal
$12.9M - State
$3.41M - Local

As of 2019, Portland State University received $45.6M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $12.9M from state grants and contracts, and $3.41M from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$234M

2019 Salaries

2.76%

growth from 2018

In 2019, Portland State University paid a median of $234M in salaries, which represents 43.4% of their overall expenditure ($539M) and a 2.76% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.19% growth from 2017 and a 3.19% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$69.9M

Instructional Salaries

764

Number of Employees

In 2019, Portland State University paid a total of $69.9M to 764 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

209 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

466 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Portland State University were Professor with 209 employees; Associate professor with 202 employees; and Associate professor with 198 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University were Business and Financial Operations with 466 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 219 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 203 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Portland State University was Male Professor with 141 employees, Female Assistant professor with 123 employees, and Male Associate professor with 111 employees.

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

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