Best colleges in Oregon
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in Oregon21 schools
21 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Oregon.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
- 2
American College of Healthcare Sciences
Portland, OR · Private for-profitTop 1% for graduation
- 100% graduate
- 3
University of Portland
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 40%
- 80% graduate
- 4
- 5
Willamette University
Salem, OR · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Value grade B-
- 71% graduate
- 6
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 70% graduate
- 7
- 8
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitTop 14% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 75% graduate
- 9
George Fox University
Newberg, OR · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 72% graduate
- 10
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
Bend, OR · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 56% graduate
- 11
Linfield University
McMinnville, OR · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 70% graduate
- 12
Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 67% graduate
- 13
Warner Pacific University
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade B-
- 49% graduate
- 14Tie
- 14Tie
Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR · PublicTop 13% for earnings
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 54% graduate
- 16
- 17
Portland State University
Portland, OR · PublicTop 14% for low net price
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 53% graduate
- 18
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR · PublicGood: Compass grade B-
- Value grade B · Top 36%
- 47% graduate
- 19
Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, OR · PublicSolid: Compass grade C+
- Value grade B · Top 39%
- 43% graduate
- 20
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, OR · PublicSolid: Compass grade C+
- Value grade B · Top 39%
- 43% graduate
- 21
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Value grade C+
- 29% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reed College | $33,013 | $21,500 | $62,927 | 71% |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences | $23,782 | $13,523 | — | 100% |
| University of Portland | $28,210 | $21,370 | $82,804 | 80% |
| Sumner College | $29,411 | $16,500 | $46,639 | 83% |
| Willamette University | $25,121 | $21,500 | $56,911 | 71% |
| Oregon State University | $19,604 | $21,221 | $64,010 | 70% |
| University of Oregon | $22,182 | $20,139 | $61,324 | 72% |
| Lewis & Clark College | $36,013 | $19,500 | $62,205 | 75% |
| George Fox University | $31,679 | $24,250 | $59,761 | 72% |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $18,048 | $21,221 | $64,010 | 56% |
| Linfield University | $26,536 | $25,000 | $78,638 | 70% |
| Pacific University | $35,273 | $23,223 | $60,583 | 67% |
| Warner Pacific University | $25,629 | $25,000 | $55,204 | 49% |
| Corban University | $28,035 | $22,625 | $48,917 | 61% |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | $15,706 | $22,500 | $72,273 | 54% |
| Bushnell University | $20,789 | $23,500 | $53,623 | 56% |
| Portland State University | $9,552 | $20,500 | $57,906 | 53% |
| Western Oregon University | $17,237 | $20,609 | $51,815 | 47% |
| Eastern Oregon University | $17,148 | $20,500 | $50,112 | 43% |
| Southern Oregon University | $16,732 | $20,332 | $49,175 | 43% |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art | $35,785 | $25,000 | $34,883 | 29% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- California 128
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Massachusetts 67
- Michigan 44
- Minnesota 40
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Pennsylvania 118
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Texas 85
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3