Portland State University partners with Niche to automatically accept qualified students. No application needed. Learn more about Niche Direct Admissions
gradeB
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?Data Sources
Academics
gradeB
Value
gradeB
Diversity
gradeA
Campus
gradeB
Athletics
gradeB
Party Scene
gradeB minus
Professors
gradeA minus
Location
gradeA+
Dorms
gradeC+
Campus Food
gradeA
Student Life
gradeB
Safety
gradeB minus
About
About Portland State...
- Common App Accepted
- Public College
- SAT/ACT Optional
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletic Conference
Big Sky Conference
- Oregon
- Portland
From Portland State University
Portland State University is more than Portland’s public research university. It’s a place to test ideas and projects that show the world how different is done. Our innovative approach combines education with creative problem-solving and collaboration across campus for maximum impact. With more than 200 degree programs to choose from, PSU is Oregon’s most diverse, innovative and affordable research university.
Upcoming Events
Portland State University Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
See All Portland State University Rankings
Admissions
Application Deadline
Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.
Rolling Admissions
Acceptance Rate
98%
SAT Range
1000-1250
ACT Range
17-24
Application Fee
$60
SAT/ACT
Neither required nor recommended
High School GPA
Required
Accepts Common App
Yes
Read More About Admissions
Will You Get Into PSU?
Test Scores and High School GPA for Portland State University See Other Colleges
YouTube Video
Cost
Net Price
$13,015/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Average Total Aid Awarded
$9,424/ year
National
$7,535
Students Receiving Financial Aid
84%
Find Private Student Loans
Find College Scholarships
Find college scholarships
Academics
Professors
gradeA minus
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
14:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
76%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.136 responses
67%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.168 responses
54%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.167 responses
Read More About Academics
Majors
Most Popular Majors
Psychology
405 Graduates
Liberal Arts and Humanities
388 Graduates
Social Science Research Methods
256 Graduates
Business
252 Graduates
Marketing
222 Graduates
Computer Science
211 Graduates
Accounting
205 Graduates
Biology
191 Graduates
Natural Sciences
185 Graduates
Health Service Preparatory Studies
172 Graduates
More
See All Majors
Online
Programs Offered Entirely Online
Total number of complete undergraduate programs offered online or through distance learning.
Offers Online Courses
College offers distance education courses.
Yes
Online Certificate Programs
Total number of certificate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Online Associates Programs
Total number of associate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Online Bachelor's Programs
Total number of bachelor's degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Explore All Online Majors
How Students Learn
Based on class setting of student enrollment.
Mix of Online and on Campus
40%
On Campus
42%
Online
18%
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
11,200Undergrads
Part-Time Undergrads
5,662
Undergrads Over 25
33%
Pell Grant
58%
Varsity Athletes
2%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on
124 responses
All types of people
42%
The people are the most diverse I've ever seen
23%
Average
8%
Environmentalists
8%
Open-minded
7%
White
6%
Smart but ignorant
2%
More
Read More About the Students
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
No data available —
Poll
60%
of students say Greek life is pretty low-key and has little effect on the social scene.192 responses
Poll
66%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.244 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on
135 responses
Diverse, progressive, enviornmentally friendly,
59%
Progressive
13%
Environmentally Friendly
12%
Full of hippies (in a good way)
6%
A very white school
4%
Sustainable, Not diverse enough
3%
Fast-paced
1%
More
Read More About Campus Life
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$44,700/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
54%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
88%
National
83%
79%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.92 responses
Read More About Life After Graduation
Portland State University Reviews
Rating 3.64 out of 5 2,677 reviews
Rating 4 out of 5
Portland State University is a great school to attend for many reasons. The professors I've met so far are passionate about what they teach, and they show great interest in your progress. PSU runs on a term schedule, so the academics are very accelerated. If you are someone who has good time management and works well with a busy school, this will be a great fit. The student community is very friendly and the school is always offering new ways for students to connect. The only thing that can be problematic would be the local area. Portland has a large homeless population and a lot of drug control issues, so there can be some questionable people roaming on campus from time to time. Fortunately, there is always campus security around and help stations with buttons for emergencies. All school buildings are also locked and you can't get in without a student key card, so it puts many students' minds at ease. Overall, this is a great school with an awesome campus and very inclusive community!
- Junior
- 2 months ago
Rating 4 out of 5
Located in downtown Portland. Multiple homeless people and drug users nearby. Campus is supposed to be smoke free, but multiple students and members of the public smoke on campus. Students smoke cigarettes and marijuana in stairwells of Broadway dormitory.
There are multiple dining options with limitations. Victors dining hall is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on week days and brunch and dinner on weekends. Food is mediocre and dishes could be cleaned better. Students have the option of taking meals to-go in a reusable container for $5. The rest are located in the Smith Memorial Student Union. There are several options. Bowery Bagels is open 7-3 Monday through Thursday and 7-1 on Friday. The other options in SMSU are open 11-4:30 Monday through Thursdays and 11-2 on Friday. There are multiple food carts on and near campus, but they are not open on weekends.
Classrooms are mostly in good conditions. Some rooms have technical difficulties.
- Senior
- 26 days ago
Rating 3 out of 5
Portland state did the minimum required of the university. Classes and teachers were provided although I can’t say that all of them are qualified to do the job that they were supposed to do. There were unhoused people on every corner begging, broke college students for money and creating an unsafe environment. On top of that we had a shooting during my stay there. Because it was a commuter school, I felt very disconnected from my school and fellow students, even when I lived in the dorms. I am, however, satisfied with the science education I received.
- Alum
- 20 days ago
