Portland State University

www.pdx.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,114

4.83% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$10,195

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

90.9%

9,077 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

19,951

62.1% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

52.7%

932 Graduates

About

Portland State University is a higher education institution located in Multnomah County, OR. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Portland State University were General Psychology (391 degrees awarded), General Social Sciences (277 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (230 degrees).

In 2024, 6,130 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Portland State University. 61% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,377 degrees), 3.25 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,038 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $9,114, which is $−22,806 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Photo by David Wilson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $9,114, which is $22,806 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $10,195.

In 2024, 54% of undergraduate students attending Portland State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 32% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,114

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Portland State University was $9,114. The cost of tuition at Portland State University is $−22,806 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

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

Average Net Price

$10,195

2024 Value

18.5%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Portland State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $10,195. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Portland State University grew by 18.5%.

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

$13,728

Room and Board

$798

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Portland State University was of $13,728 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 2.46% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $798. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 10.1% 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

54%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

32%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

54% of undergraduate students at Portland State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 1.89% with respect to 2023, when 53% 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.

Admissions

Portland State University received 9,077 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 2.25% annual growth. Out of those 9,077 applicants, 8,248 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 90.9% acceptance rate.

There were 19,951 students enrolled at Portland State University in 2024. 1% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Portland State University has an overall enrollment yield of 18.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

90.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

8,248

Accepted Out of 9,077

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Portland State University was 90.9% (8,248 admissions from 9,077 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 90.9%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 2.25%, while admissions grew by 2.21%.

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 (2024)

Scores Submitted (2024)

1% of enrolled first-time students at Portland State University in 2024 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 19,951 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 12,384 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,567. 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 47.6% White, 19.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 7.47% Two or More Races, 5.22% Black or African American, 0.586% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.331% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Portland State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.7%), followed by White Male (19.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (14.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (32.5%), followed by White Male (16.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (9.41%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

62.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Portland State University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 19,951 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 12,384 and the part-time enrollment is 7,567. This means that 62.1% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% 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

76%

2024 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 76%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), 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 (2024)

White
9,488 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,933 enrolled students
Asian
1,856 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Portland State University is 47.6% White, 19.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 7.47% Two or More Races, 5.22% Black or African American, 0.586% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.331% 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 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% 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, 877 students (4.4%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 1,352 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 (3,377 degrees awarded). There were 3.25 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,038 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Portland State University is General Psychology (391 degrees awarded), followed by General Social Sciences (277 degrees) and Liberal Arts & Sciences (230 degrees).

In 2024, 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 (94 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (428 degrees), and Social Sciences (560 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 (416,047 people), Other managers (346,157 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (236,958 people), Social workers, all other (206,810 people), and Postsecondary teachers (187,399 people).

The most specialized majors at Portland State University in 2024 are Architecture and Related Services (94 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (428 degrees), Social Sciences (560 degrees), Language & Linguistics (77 degrees), and English (127 degrees) (as of 2024).

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, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

The most specialized majors at Portland State University are Architecture and Related Services (94 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (428 degrees), Social Sciences (560 degrees), Language & Linguistics (77 degrees), and English (127 degrees) (as of 2024).

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 (639,940 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (432,364 people), Legal services (339,305 people), Computer Systems Design (258,742 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (227,976 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 (2024)

General Communication Sciences & Disorders
29 degrees awarded
Other Multidisciplinary Studies
3 degrees awarded
Russian Language & Literature
1 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Portland State University was General Communication Sciences & Disorders with 29 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Portland State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,389

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

3,741

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 2,389 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University, which is 0.639 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,741).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 172 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Computer Science, which is 2.39 times more than the 72 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 301 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Social Work, which is 4.63 times more than the 65 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

32%

100% Completion Time

53%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 32% of students graduating from Portland State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 53% 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.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (70.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Portland State University is Female and Asian (70.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

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, 3.66% of graduates (34 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
3,377 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,038 degrees awarded
Asian
501 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Portland State University is white (3,377 degrees awarded). There were 3.25 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,038 degrees).

1.94% of degree recipients (119 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
2,868 degrees awarded
White Female
2,846 degrees awarded
White Female
2,770 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Portland State University is white female (2,868 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (2,846 degrees).

Operations

Portland State University has an endowment valued at nearly $123M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 15.5M (12.6%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, Portland State University had a total salary expenditure of 586M. Portland State University employs 225 Professors, 208 Associate professors and 174 Assistant professors. Most academics at Portland State University are Male Professor (145), Female Assistant professor (110), and Female Associate professor (106).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 490 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 219 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 214 employees.

Endowment

$123M

2024 Endowment

9.78%

growth from 2023

Portland State University has an endowment valued at about $123M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Portland State University grew 9.78% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $129M 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

$50.4M - Federal
$20M - State
$3.67M - Local

As of 2024, Portland State University received $50.4M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $20M from state grants and contracts, and $3.67M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$255M

2024 Salaries

4.71%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Portland State University paid a median of $255M in salaries, which represents 43.5% of their overall expenditure ($586M) and a 4.71% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.86% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 5.25% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$73.1M

Instructional Salaries

676

Number of Employees

In 2024, Portland State University paid a total of $73.1M to 676 employees working as instructors, which represents 28.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University were Business and Financial Operations with 490 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 219 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 214 employees.

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