Oregon State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Oregon State is a public institution located in Corvallis, Oregon. For the most recent reporting cycle, Oregon State admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 79%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1270 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,604 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Oregon State?

50% of enrolled students at Oregon State had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.7, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does Oregon State weight in admissions?

Oregon State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

How Oregon State reads an application: what each weighting means for your child, plus waitlist, transfer and early-round odds

SAT and ACT scores Oregon State typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Oregon State actually cost?

Published tuition is $14,400 for in-state students and $38,190 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,386 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,604 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Oregon State

Will my child graduate from Oregon State?

These predict outcomes at Oregon State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Oregon State

The most popular undergraduate programs at Oregon State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer Science, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Mechanical Engineering. Across all programs, Oregon State confers roughly 2,612 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer Science program report a median income of about $109,905 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Oregon State safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Oregon State disclosed 135 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.4 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 18 violent offenses and 31 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Oregon State?

About 16% of undergraduates at Oregon State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 12% of men join a fraternity and 15% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Oregon parents ask about

• University of Portland
  89% acceptance
• Reed College
  25% acceptance
• Lewis & Clark College
  78% acceptance
• Willamette University
  77% acceptance
• Southern Oregon University
  89% acceptance
• University of Oregon
  88% acceptance

Colleges that admit at a similar rate

• Mississippi State University
  78% acceptance · Mississippi
• Seattle University
  77% acceptance · Washington

Common questions parents ask about Oregon State