Oregon State University

Oregon State admitted about 78.9% of applicants in the most recent cycle, drawing roughly 29,000 applications and enrolling around 4,500 first-year students. The university is accessible for a major research flagship, though admission to selective programs such as engineering and the Honors College runs tighter than the overall rate.

Slightly. Oregon State admitted 85% of in-state applicants and 77% of out-of-state applicants in Fall 2024, so residents hold a modest edge. State residency is not weighed in the admissions review itself, and out-of-state students make up 43% of the first-year class, so non-residents are admitted in large numbers.

International admission is the most competitive path: Oregon State admitted about 30% of international applicants in Fall 2024, well below the 85% in-state and 77% out-of-state rates. International students made up roughly 1,400 applicants and 113 enrolled first-years, so the pool is small but selective compared to domestic applicants.

Enrolled first-years average about a 3.7 high school GPA, and academic GPA ranks as a very important factor in Oregon State's review, with the rigor of your course load weighed just behind it. There is no hard cutoff, and 99% of enrolled students reported a GPA, so strong grades in a challenging schedule make the clearest case.

Yes, a 1300 is competitive at Oregon State. It sits above the 50th-percentile mark of 1270 and inside the middle 50% of enrolled first-years, who scored 1130–1360 on the SAT and 24–31 on the ACT. A 1300 puts you in solid shape relative to the typical admitted student.

Yes, Oregon State is test-optional, so you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Only about 12% of enrolled first-years submitted scores in the most recent class. If you do submit, scores are weighed as a considered factor rather than a very important one, behind GPA and course rigor.

Annual tuition and required fees run about $16,032 for Oregon residents and $42,747 for out-of-state students. Roughly 47% of first-years receive need-based grant or scholarship aid, with an average first-year package near $21,077, and Oregon State participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange, which discounts tuition for residents of many Western states.

Computer science leads at about 17% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering at 15% and business at 13%. As a land-grant university, Oregon State also confers a notable share of degrees in natural resources, the life sciences, and agriculture, reflecting longstanding strengths in forestry, oceanography, and environmental science.