Portland State University

www.pdx.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$7,907

22.4% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$12,195

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

4.74%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

95.2%

6,701 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

23,640

63.7% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

49.1%

772 Graduates

About

Portland State University is a higher education institution located in Multnomah County, OR. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Portland State University were General Psychology (344 degrees awarded), General Social Sciences (239 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (210 degrees).

In 2020, 7,277 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Portland State University. 58.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,305 degrees), 4.61 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (933 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $7,907, which is $−20,656 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by David Wilson

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $7,907, which is $−20,656 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,195.

In 2020, 54% of undergraduate students attending Portland State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 38% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$7,907

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Portland State University was $7,907. The cost of tuition at Portland State University is $−20,656 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

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

Average Net Price

$12,195

2020 Value

4.05%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Portland State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,195. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Portland State University grew by 4.05%.

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

$13,611

Room and Board

$1,263

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Portland State University was of $13,611 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,263. The cost of room and board increased by 3% between 2019 and 2020. 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 by Income Level

54%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

38%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

54% of undergraduate students at Portland State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 3.85% with respect to 2019, when 52% 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.

4.74%

2018 Default Rate

292

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Portland State University was 4.74%, which represents 292 out of the 6165 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 6,701 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 2.33% annual decline. Out of those 6,701 applicants, 6,379 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 95.2% acceptance rate.

There were 23,640 students enrolled at Portland State University in 2020, and 40% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Portland State University has an overall enrollment yield of 23.7%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

95.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

6,379

Accepted Out of 6,701

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Portland State University was 95.2% (6,379 admissions from 6,701 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 95.8%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −2.33%, while admissions declined by −2.95%.

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

SAT Scores

40%

Submission Percentage

548

Scores Submitted

40% of enrolled first-time students at Portland State University in 2020 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 23,640 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 15,067 students and the part-time enrollment is 8,573. This means that 63.7% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 50.3% White, 16.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.46% Asian, 5.99% Two or More Races, 3.54% Black or African American, 0.986% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.525% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Portland State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.6%), followed by White Male (20.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (12.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (38%), followed by White Male (20.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

63.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 23,640 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 15,067 and the part-time enrollment is 8,573. This means that 63.7% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% 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%

2020 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 (85%), 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
11,899
Hispanic or Latino
3,873
Asian
2,000

The enrolled student population at Portland State University is 50.3% White, 16.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.46% Asian, 5.99% Two or More Races, 3.54% Black or African American, 0.986% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.525% 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% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% 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, 2,059 students (8.71%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1221 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 (4,305 degrees awarded). There were 4.61 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (933 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Portland State University is General Psychology (344 degrees awarded), followed by General Social Sciences (239 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (210 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 (119 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (505 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (121 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 (324,391 people), Other managers (272,143 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (202,139 people), Social workers, all other (198,593 people), and Postsecondary teachers (133,461 people).

The most specialized majors at Portland State University are Architecture and Related Services (119 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (505 degrees), Language & Linguistics (121 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (387 degrees), and Social Sciences (607 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, Aircraft pilots & flight engineers, Dentists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

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 (453,946 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (308,353 people), Legal services (262,047 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (247,864 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (198,582 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

General Psychology
344 degree-majorss awarded
General Social Sciences
239 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
210 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Portland State University was General Psychology with 344 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

3,028

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

4,249

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 3,028 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University, which is 0.713 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,249).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 213 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Computer Science, which is 4.63 times more than the 46 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 316 degrees were awarded to women at Portland State University in Social Work, which is 5.64 times more than the 56 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

21%

100% Completion Time

49%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 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 52% 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%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Portland State University is Female and Asian (69% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 1.68% of graduates (13 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,305 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
933 degrees awarded
Asian
589 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Portland State University is white (4,305 degrees awarded). There were 4.61 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (933 degrees).

3.09% of degree recipients (225 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
2,567 degrees awarded
White Male
1,738 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
599 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Portland State University is white female (2,567 degrees awarded). There were 1.48 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,738 degrees).

Operations

Portland State University has an endowment valued at nearly $2.43M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $10.5M (432%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Portland State University had a total salary expenditure of $552M. Portland State University employs 212 Professors, 209 Associate professors, and 172 Assistant professors. Most academics at Portland State University are Male Professors (139), Male Associate professors(111), and Female Assistant professors (101).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 443 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 218 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 208 employees.

Endowment

$2.43M

2020 Endowment

4.11%

decline from 2019

Portland State University has an endowment valued at about $2.43M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Portland State University declined 4.11% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $304M 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

$44.8M - Federal
$12.2M - State
$2.21M - Local

As of 2020, Portland State University received $44.8M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $12.2M from state grants and contracts, and $2.21M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$233M

2020 Salaries

0.681%

decline from 2019

In 2020, Portland State University paid a median of $233M in salaries, which represents 42.1% of their overall expenditure ($552M) and a 0.681% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.76% growth from 2018 and a 3.19% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$68.4M

Instructional Salaries

742

Number of Employees

In 2020, Portland State University paid a total of $68.4M to 742 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

212 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

443 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Portland State University were Professor with 212 employees; Associate professor with 209 employees; and Associate professor with 172 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University were Business and Financial Operations with 443 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 218 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 208 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Portland State University was Male Professor with 139 employees, Male Associate professor with 111 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 101 employees.

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