Oregon State University vs. University of Oregon

Oregon or Oregon State comes down to whether you picture yourself in Eugene's design-and-journalism scene or Corvallis's land-grant lab culture. Oregon runs on the energy of a Track Town: Hayward Field draws the country's best runners, the journalism school feeds newsrooms and ad agencies, and the campus tilts toward business, the arts, and the social sciences. Oregon State leans the other way. You'd join a bigger student body built around engineering, forestry, oceanography, and agriculture, the working strengths of the state's land-grant. Corvallis stays smaller and quieter than Eugene, a real college town where the university sets the pace. Both sit in the Willamette Valley, so plan on gray, wet winters either way. The two have played the oldest rivalry in the West for over a century, lately for a Platypus Trophy that splices a duck onto a beaver. Pick the place whose flagship program already matches what you want to study.

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Oregon StateCorvallis, OR

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Oregon State CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Oregon State CDS (Fall 2024).
78.9%acceptance rate
Applied
29,362
Admitted
23,172
Enrolled
4,452

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state85.0%
7,298 admitted of 8,582 applicants
Out-of-state77.4%
15,681 admitted of 20,268 applicants
International30.4%
439 admitted of 1,443 applicants

Early action

Oregon State offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Oregon State is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1130
50th Percentile
1270
75th Percentile
1360

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
24
50th Percentile
28
75th Percentile
31

Class rank

Where Oregon State's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class28%
Top quarter of class58%
Top half of class89%

Based on the 53% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Oregon State does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Oregon State weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Oregon State's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$39,531
In-State
$66,246
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$16,032$42,747
Room & Board
$19,011$19,011
Other Expenses
$4,488$4,488
Total
$39,531$66,246

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$12k
$30–48k~$13k
$48–75k~$16k
$75–110k~$20k
$110k+~$27k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants22.8%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
47%
Avg. Package
$21,077
Avg. Need Met
71%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Computing
Engineering
Business
Biological & Life Sciences
Natural Resources
Psychology
Social Sciences
Other
Computing
17%
Engineering
15%
Business
13%
Life Sci
7%
Nat. Res.
7%
Psychology
7%
Social Sci
5%
Other
29%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

18:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return89%
Graduate within six years68%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$72k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$21k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Oregon State’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Show all 33 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
91%
In Fraternities
12%
In Sororities
15%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Small city
Location
Corvallis, OR

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
4734J
5135F
5637M
6140A
6845M
7449J
8352J
8451A
7848S
6542O
5338N
4734D
Snow a year
3 in
Precipitation a year
43 in
Days at 90°F or above
18
Days below 32°F
54

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, CORVALLIS STATE UNIV, OR US station, 6.4 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

51%
49%
Male
15,951
Female
15,528

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White62.6%
Hispanic13.7%
Other12.8%
Asian and Pacific Islander8%
Black2.3%
Native American<1%
OregonEugene, OR

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Oregon CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Oregon CDS (Fall 2025).
87.4%acceptance rate
Applied
41,368
Admitted
36,148
Enrolled
5,009

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state88.1%
7,064 admitted of 8,018 applicants
Out-of-state89.2%
28,417 admitted of 31,873 applicants
International45.2%
667 admitted of 1,477 applicants

Early action

Oregon offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Oregon is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1050
50th Percentile
1200
75th Percentile
1320

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
22
50th Percentile
26
75th Percentile
29

Class rank

Oregon does not report this.

Not reported

Admissions factors

How Oregon weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Oregon's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$40,236
In-State
$70,227
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$17,475$47,466
Room & Board
$18,183$18,183
Other Expenses
$4,578$4,578
Total
$40,236$70,227

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$16k
$30–48k~$16k
$48–75k~$18k
$75–110k~$25k
$110k+~$31k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants21.4%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
46%
Avg. Package
$17,082
Avg. Need Met
54%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Social Sciences
Business & Marketing
Communication & Journalism
Biological & Life Sciences
Psychology
Visual & Performing Arts
Other
Social Sci
16%
Business
16%
Comm
13%
Life Sci
9%
Psychology
9%
Arts
7%
Other
30%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

19:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return86%
Graduate within six years71%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$62k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$20k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Oregon’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Political Science

    192 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$62kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Fine & Studio Arts

    148 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$45kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Environmental Science & Natural Resources

    130 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$50kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$19k median debt
  • Journalism

    125 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$56kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$23k median debt
  • Economics

    119 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$76kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$19k median debt
Show all 24 programs
  • Biology

    84 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$51kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$25k median debt
  • Education

    81 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$54kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Computer & Information Sciences

    75 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$101kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$24k median debt
  • English

    67 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$48kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • History

    55 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$48kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$17k median debt
  • Music

    48 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$40kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Linguistics & Language Studies

    37 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$47kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Neuroscience

    31 degrees (2023-24)

    Not publishedmedian pay after graduation
  • Data Science

    29 degrees (2023-24)

    Not publishedmedian pay after graduation
  • Mathematics

    26 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$82kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$15k median debt
  • Philosophy

    21 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$59kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$25k median debt
  • Chemistry

    21 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$82kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation
  • Earth & Geological Sciences

    18 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$52kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$27k median debt
  • Communication & Media Studies

    16 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$71kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$17k median debt
  • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

    16 degrees (2023-24)

    Not publishedmedian pay after graduation
  • Physics

    16 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$75kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation
  • Area Studies

    9 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$54kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Architecture

    Degrees conferred not published (2023-24)

    ~$67kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$19k median debt
  • Psychology

    Degrees conferred not published (2023-24)

    ~$51kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24)

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
94%
In Fraternities
19%
In Sororities
18%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Midsize city
Location
Eugene, OR

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
4835J
5235F
5737M
6140A
6844M
7448J
8452J
8452A
7848S
6542O
5338N
4734D
Precipitation a year
41 in
Days at 90°F or above
18
Days below 32°F
52

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP, OR US station, 9.2 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

44%
56%
Male
9,075
Female
11,526

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White60.1%
Hispanic17.3%
Other11.7%
Asian and Pacific Islander7.2%
Black3.1%
Native American<1%

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Oregon State vs. Oregon: frequently asked questions

Oregon State is the tighter admit, taking about 77.3% of applicants to Oregon's 87.4%, though both stay accessible for public flagships. Oregon State's enrolled first-years also post higher test scores, a middle-50% SAT of 1160–1390 and ACT of 24–31, against Oregon's 1050–1320 and 22–29. Average GPAs land close, near 3.7 at both, and each leans hardest on your course rigor and academic GPA.

Oregon State is the clear pick for engineering. It is the state's land-grant, engineering ranks as its single largest field at about 17% of degrees, and computing follows at 15%, so a large share of the campus points toward STEM. Oregon does not list engineering among its top majors; its degrees concentrate in the social sciences, business, and journalism. An aspiring engineer finds far more of the university built around that path in Corvallis.

Oregon, for both. Its School of Journalism and Communication is nationally regarded, and communication and journalism accounts for about 13% of degrees, while business and marketing claims roughly 16%, tied with the social sciences as the largest field. Oregon State confers business at about 14% but lists no journalism program among its top areas. A student aiming at media, advertising, or business leans toward Eugene.

Oregon State runs cheaper for non-residents, about $40,437 in tuition and fees versus $47,466 at Oregon. Oregon State also meets more demonstrated need on average, roughly 66% to Oregon's 54%, though Oregon's average need-based package runs slightly larger at about $17,082 against $15,031. Oregon State reaches a few more students with need-based aid as well, 48% of first-years to Oregon's 46%, so the gap widens once aid is counted.

Oregon State is the larger school, enrolling about 31,253 undergraduates to Oregon's 20,710, and the bigger of the two in the state overall. Class sizes track close, a 17-to-1 student-faculty ratio at Oregon State and 19-to-1 at Oregon. Both house most first-years on campus, 94% at Oregon and 87% at Oregon State, so each anchors a residential community despite drawing nearly half its first-years from outside the state.

Neither does. Both stay test-optional, so you can apply without scores, and each weighs submitted scores only as a considered factor behind course rigor and GPA. Among students who do submit, Oregon State's middle 50% scored 1160–1390 on the SAT, while Oregon's scored 1050–1320, so strong scores help more at the more selective Oregon State.

Source: Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Oregon State. Banner photo by Owen, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

Source: University of Oregon Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Oregon. Banner photo by Rick Obst, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).