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Portland State University

#222 in US ranking Portland, OR
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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Portland State University award
Portland State University award

Cost

Cost / year
$20,561
Tuition & fees
$12,315
Avg. aid
$10,442
Receiving aid
91%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
91%
Avg. SAT
1125
Avg. ACT
21

Outcomes

Graduation rate
53%
Median salary
$48,211
1 yr after graduation

What are the graduation rates for students at Portland State University?

Portland State University's reported six-year graduation rate is 53% for the measured cohort of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduates. Its four-year rate is 34%. These measures track a defined entering group; they do not describe completion for all students, particularly the substantial number who transfer in.

The reported first-year retention rate is 76%, measuring the share of the applicable first-time cohort that continued into the following fall. A graduation rate is useful for setting expectations about time to degree, but it does not explain why individual students leave, pause or take longer. Transfer applicants can get more relevant planning information from a credit evaluation and a major-specific course sequence than from the first-time-student graduation rate alone.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Portland State University?

Reported College Scorecard figures show different earnings one year after completion across Portland State University fields. Among the listed programs, the reported figure is $76,452 for computer science, $61,483 for civil engineering and $46,148 for business administration, management and operations. These are program-level observations, not salaries promised to new students.

One-year earnings measures reflect graduates for whom the underlying federal data can be matched and reported; they do not represent every alumnus or establish what a particular graduate will make. Program comparisons also depend on occupation, location, prior experience, further study and how soon graduates enter full-time work. A one-year figure may be especially incomplete for fields in which advanced education or professional licensing is common.

Students comparing majors should consider the earnings measure alongside program costs, typical career paths and their own goals. A higher reported figure does not, by itself, establish that one program produces a better outcome for every student.

Portland State University Graduation Rate

Avg. graduation
53%
4-year graduation
34%
6-year graduation
53%

Portland State University Retention and Employment

First-year retention, full-time students
76%
First-year retention, part-time students
48%
Employed 1 year after graduation
94%

Portland State University Median Alumni Salary Over Time

1 year after graduation
$48,211
4 years after graduation
$62,060
5 years after graduation
$63,548
7 years after graduation
$67,963
10 years after starting college
$62,447

Alumni Salary for Portland State University Degrees

Degrees

Avg. salary

Accounting and Related Services

$47,209

Anthropology

$28,090

Architecture

$32,692

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

$39,299

Biological and Physical Sciences

$32,021

Biology, General

$30,441

Business Administration, Management and Operations

$46,148

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

$39,501

Chemistry

$44,198

Civil Engineering

$61,483

Communication and Media Studies

$36,472

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

$21,507

Community Organization and Advocacy

$29,429

Computer Engineering

$81,059

Computer Science

$76,452

Criminal Justice and Corrections

$36,250

Design and Applied Arts

$36,317

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

$24,757

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

$26,377

Economics

$32,245

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

$72,696

English Language and Literature, General

$28,107

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

$55,612

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

$28,412

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

$24,124

Finance and Financial Management Services

$49,432

Fine and Studio Arts

$22,381

General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations

$44,849

Geography and Cartography

$26,943

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

$35,657

Health and Medical Administrative Services

$29,851

History

$29,076

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

$30,216

Human Resources Management and Services

$44,051

International Relations and National Security Studies

$28,778

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

$31,991

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

$26,896

Marketing

$36,870

Mathematics

$35,768

Mechanical Engineering

$62,670

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

$33,967

Music

$21,913

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

$27,557

Philosophy

$23,484

Political Science and Government

$31,308

Psychology, General

$30,278

Public Health

$32,558

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

$25,916

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

$33,771

Social Sciences, General

$31,905

Social Work

$29,548

Sociology

$26,965

Portland State University Graduations Per Degree

BACHELOR’S Degree

Women Men Total

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

270321591

Social Sciences

275161436

Psychology

288101389

Health Professions and Related Programs

19659255

Visual and Performing Arts

13474208

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

48143191

Engineering

38145183

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

12252174

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

8450134

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services

8241123

MASTER’S Degree

Women Men Total

Education

25892350

Public Administration and Social Service Professions

24862310

Engineering

48117165

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

7867145

Health Professions and Related Programs

10528133

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

5062112

Mathematics and Statistics

352762

Architecture and Related Services

301949

Social Sciences

162238

English Language and Literature/Letters

161228

DOCTOR’S Degree

Women Men Total

Education

10616

Public Administration and Social Service Professions

8513

Health Professions and Related Programs

7310

Engineering

088

Psychology

538

Mathematics and Statistics

167

Social Sciences

516

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

235

Engineering/Engineering-related Technologies/Technicians

235

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

415

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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