Portland State University

www.pdx.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,400

3.63% growth from 2021

2022 Average Net Price

$16,273

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0179%

on Student Loans

2022 Acceptance Rate

93.1%

7,926 Applicants

2022 Enrolled Students

21,609

63.1% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

52.5%

818 Graduates

About

Portland State University is a higher education institution located in Multnomah County, OR. In 2022, the most popular Postbaccalaureate Certificate concentrations at Portland State University were Teacher Education & Professional Development (395 degrees awarded), Accounting (46 degrees), and Child Development (34 degrees).

In 2022, 7,148 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 (4,039 degrees), 3.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,093 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $8,400, which is $−21,750 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

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

Photo by David Wilson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at Portland State University is $8,400, which is $21,750 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,273.

In 2022, 60% of undergraduate students attending Portland State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 35% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$8,400

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at Portland State University was $8,400. The cost of tuition at Portland State University is $−21,750 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

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

Average Net Price

$16,273

2022 Value

25%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 Portland State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,273. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of Portland State University grew by 25%.

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

$12,144

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Portland State University was of $12,144 in 2022. The cost of room and board decreased by 10% between 2021 and 2022.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. 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

60%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

35%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

60% of undergraduate students at Portland State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a growth of 22.4% with respect to 2021, 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.

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 7,926 undergraduate applications in 2022, which represents a 15.6% annual growth. Out of those 7,926 applicants, 7,378 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 93.1% acceptance rate.

There were 21,609 students enrolled at Portland State University in 2022.

Portland State University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

93.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2022

7,378

Accepted Out of 7,926

In 2022, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Portland State University was 93.1% (7,378 admissions from 7,926 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 98.4%. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of applicants grew by 15.6%, while admissions grew by 9.29%.

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

0% of enrolled first-time students at Portland State University in 2022 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 21,609 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 13,642 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,967. This means that 63.1% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Portland State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49.5% White, 18.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.39% Asian, 6.3% Two or More Races, 4.32% Black or African American, 1.32% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.477% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Portland State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (27%), followed by White Male (19%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (14.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (33.5%), followed by White Male (16.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.56%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

63.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Portland State University in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 21,609 students. The full-time enrollment at Portland State University is 13,642 and the part-time enrollment is 7,967. This means that 63.1% of students enrolled at Portland State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.4% 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

72%

2022 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 72%. 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 (2022)

White
10,694 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,959 enrolled students
Asian
2,029 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Portland State University is 49.5% White, 18.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.39% Asian, 6.3% Two or More Races, 4.32% Black or African American, 1.32% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.477% 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 47.5% White, 15.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.58% 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, 1,021 students (4.72%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2022, 1,578 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 (4,039 degrees awarded). There were 3.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1093 degrees).

The most common Postbaccalaureate Certificate concentration at Portland State University is Teacher Education & Professional Development (395 degrees awarded), followed by Accounting (46 degrees) and Child Development (34 degrees).

In 2022, 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 (459 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (101 degrees), and Social Sciences (608 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 (354,138 people), Other managers (307,857 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (218,114 people), Social workers, all other (212,793 people), and Postsecondary teachers (179,126 people).

The most specialized majors at Portland State University in 2022 are Public Administration and Social Service (459 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (101 degrees), Social Sciences (608 degrees), Math & Statistics (144 degrees), and Interdisciplinary Studies (328 degrees) (as of 2022).

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, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Aircraft pilots & flight engineers

The most specialized majors at Portland State University are Public Administration and Social Service (459 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (101 degrees), Social Sciences (608 degrees), Math & Statistics (144 degrees), and Interdisciplinary Studies (328 degrees) (as of 2022).

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 (566,790 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (380,474 people), Legal services (286,041 people), Computer Systems Design (273,415 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (268,654 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 (2022)

General Psychology
365 degrees awarded
General Social Sciences
247 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
223 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Portland State University was General Psychology with 365 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

2,785

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2022

4,363

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2022

In 2022, 2,785 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University, which is 0.638 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,363).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2022, 196 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Computer Science, which is 3.92 times more than the 50 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2022, 311 degrees were awarded to men at Portland State University in Social Work, which is 5.65 times more than the 55 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

27%

100% Completion Time

49%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 27% 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 53% 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 (64.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2022 at Portland State University is Female and Asian (64.8% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

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, 2.57% of graduates (21 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
4,039 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,093 degrees awarded
Asian
605 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Portland State University is white (4,039 degrees awarded). There were 3.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1093 degrees).

2.87% of degree recipients (205 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
2,514 degrees awarded
White Male
1,525 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
710 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Portland State University is white female (2,514 degrees awarded). There were 1.65 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1525 degrees).

Operations

Portland State University employs 218 Professors, 193 Associate professors and 170 Assistant professors. Most academics at Portland State University are Male Professor (144), Female Assistant professor (112), and Male Associate professor (98).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 482 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 207 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 181 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$42.4M - Federal
$12.9M - State
$2.77M - Local

As of 2022, Portland State University received $42.4M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $12.9M from state grants and contracts, and $2.77M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$232M

2022 Salaries

5.25%

growth from 2021

In 2022, Portland State University paid a median of $232M in salaries, a 5.25% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.22% decline between 2020 and 2021, and a 0.681% decline between 2019 and 2020.

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

Instructional Salaries

$67.9M

Instructional Salaries

709

Number of Employees

In 2022, Portland State University paid a total of $67.9M to 709 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $73.7M (30%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

218 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

482 Employees

In 2022, the most common positions for instructional staff at Portland State University were Professor with 218 employees, Associate professor with 193 employees, and Assistant professor with 170 employees.

In 2022, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Portland State University were Business and Financial Operations with 482 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 207 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 181 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2022)

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2022, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Portland State University was Male Professor with 144 employees, Female Assistant professor with 112 employees, and Male Associate professor with 98 employees.

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

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