Colleges where the most freshmen return in Oregon
Colleges ranked by first-year retention: the share of full-time freshmen who come back for a second year.
Colleges where the most freshmen return in Oregon11 schools
11 schools qualify, ranked by first-year retention.
How this list is made
- Schools in Oregon.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has a first-year retention rate from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by retention rate, highest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1Tie
American College of Healthcare Sciences
Portland, OR · Private for-profitTop 1% for graduation
- 100% of freshmen return
- 100% graduate
- 1Tie
Sumner College
Portland, OR · Private for-profitTop 8% for graduation
- 100% of freshmen return
- 83% graduate
- 3
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitTop 14% for graduation
- 89% of freshmen return
- 75% graduate
- 4
University of Portland
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- 88% of freshmen return
- 80% graduate
- 5
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 88% of freshmen return
- 70% graduate
- 6
Reed College
Portland, OR · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Oregon
- 88% of freshmen return
- 71% graduate
- 7
Willamette University
Salem, OR · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 87% of freshmen return
- 71% graduate
- 8
- 9
George Fox University
Newberg, OR · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 83% of freshmen return
- 72% graduate
- 10
Linfield University
McMinnville, OR · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- 80% of freshmen return
- 70% graduate
- 11
Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- 79% of freshmen return
- 67% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American College of Healthcare Sciences | $23,782 | $13,523 | — | 100% |
| Sumner College | $29,411 | $16,500 | $46,639 | 83% |
| Lewis & Clark College | $36,013 | $19,500 | $62,205 | 75% |
| University of Portland | $28,210 | $21,370 | $82,804 | 80% |
| Oregon State University | $19,604 | $21,221 | $64,010 | 70% |
| Reed College | $33,013 | $21,500 | $62,927 | 71% |
| Willamette University | $25,121 | $21,500 | $56,911 | 71% |
| University of Oregon | $22,182 | $20,139 | $61,324 | 72% |
| George Fox University | $31,679 | $24,250 | $59,761 | 72% |
| Linfield University | $26,536 | $25,000 | $78,638 | 70% |
| Pacific University | $35,273 | $23,223 | $60,583 | 67% |
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 63
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 8
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 80
- North Carolina 17
- Ohio 31
- Oklahoma 4
- Pennsylvania 62
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 20
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15