77.3%
Acceptance Rate
$14,400
Avg Cost (In-State)
$38,190
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
70.4%
Graduation Rate
30,743
Total Enrollment
By the numbers
Oregon State University, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$75
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal insight essay required, 500-650 words
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$42,537
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$51,815
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
46%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | $85,376 | $121,405 | 723 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $47,555 | $73,660 | 354 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | $33,543 | $53,109 | 256 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $68,686 | $93,740 | 248 |
| Psychology, General. | $34,736 | $57,650 | 196 |
| Biology, General. | $30,982 | $47,221 | 158 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy. | $39,422 | $52,730 | 151 |
| Public Health. | $40,682 | $62,633 | 145 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗Oregon Promise (Community College)
~$8k valueOregon Promise covers most community college tuition for Oregon residents who go directly to CC within 6 months of HS graduation.
Who it helps: Recent Oregon HS grads going directly to an OR community college.
How to use: File FAFSA + Oregon Promise app by April 1.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Oregon State Provost's Scholarship
$3,000-$10,000/year
universityTop OSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Reed College Comprehensive Need-Met Aid
100% need met with modest loan expectation
universityAll admitted Reed students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Oregon Opportunity Grant
Up to $3,612/year (publics); $3,612 (privates)
stateOR residents with financial need at OR colleges. Pell-aligned EFC.
Deadline: March 1 (FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Oregon Tribal Student Grant
Full cost of attendance at OR publics
stateEnrolled members of one of OR's nine federally recognized tribes attending OR public colleges/universities.
Deadline: ORSAA or FAFSA + apply
Learn more ↗Oregon Chafee Education and Training Grant
Up to $5,000/year
stateOR current/former foster youth ages 14-26.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Oregon State University Provost Scholarship
$3,000-$9,000/year
universityOSU incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit (beyond F1's basic Provost).
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Oregon Community Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$10,000+
localOR students; one common app unlocks 600+ named funds.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Verne Catt McDowell Scholarship
$5,000
nationalStudents from Linn/Lane/Marion counties Oregon pursuing social-work or related helping professions.
Deadline: April 30
Learn more ↗Oregon Diversity Excellence Scholarship
Tuition + fees + housing
universityUnderrepresented OR residents at U Oregon with academic merit.
Deadline: Through admission
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 77.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
77.3%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
27.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
25.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
67.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
19.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
30.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
85.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
68.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL
77.4% acceptance
Both admit around 77% of applicants, with 22k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS
77.6% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 18k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
77.7% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 16k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $7k — meaningfully less than $38k.
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ
78.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (79% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $38k.
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
75.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (75% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $20k — meaningfully less than $38k.
Reaches above this college
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
41.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (42% vs 77%) — a stretch target if Oregon State University is already on your list.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
31.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (31% vs 77%) — a stretch target if Oregon State University is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
88.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (88% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
88.5% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (89% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM
89% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (89% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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