Oregon State: the complete school report for parents
Oregon State puts the most weight on GPA. A second tier of course rigor, the essay and personal qualities carries real weight too. It does not consider legacy and the interview, so family connections carry no weight. With a 78.9% admit rate and 50% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Natural Sciences graduates earn a median $112,393 against $36,871 for Zoology/Animal Biology.
Oregon State is officially Oregon State University, also known as OSU. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is Oregon State a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Oregon State against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Oregon State actually weigh in admissions?
Oregon State rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA. It does not consider 6 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Oregon State's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Oregon State rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Not Considered |
| geography | Not Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Oregon State consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Oregon State consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Oregon State consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Oregon State consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Oregon State consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider an interview?
No. Oregon State does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Oregon State consider legacy status?
No. Oregon State does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Oregon State consider being first-generation?
No. Oregon State does not consider it.
Does Oregon State consider where we live?
No. Oregon State does not consider it.
Does Oregon State consider state residency?
No. Oregon State does not consider it.
Does Oregon State consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon State consider religious affiliation?
No. Oregon State does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
50% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.7 on a 4 scale, reported for 99% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 13% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 37% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 25% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 7% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 2% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0% |
What is the Oregon State waitlist really like?
Oregon State offered a place on its waiting list to 764 applicants and 292 accepted one. 292 were ultimately admitted. That is 100.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Oregon State admitted 82.1% of 5,596 transfer applicants, against 78.9% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.25.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Oregon State reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | August 25 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | October 15 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $65 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will Oregon State actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $19,604 a year at Oregon State after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $13,440. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 71.4% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,768 merit awards averaging $9,116 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,107 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $13,036 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $15,729 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $20,262 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,459 |
41% of Oregon State graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $25,935 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $225 a month in repayment. Oregon State’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Oregon State pay off?
Graduates earn a median $64,010 ten years after entering, and $50,843 at six years. 82% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 67% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $48,428 | 2.4 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $52,144 | 2.6 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $62,916 | 3.1 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $81,048 | 4.1 |
| Over $110,000 | $109,836 | 5.5 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$112,393 to $36,871, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Oregon State:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences | $112,393 | 1 |
| Computer Science | $109,905 | 843 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $105,331 | 111 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $103,024 | 144 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $94,649 | 315 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | $92,078 | 88 |
| Civil Engineering | $89,866 | 123 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $81,470 | 140 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $69,262 | 452 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $45,158 | 114 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $44,804 | 44 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $36,871 | 55 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
89% of first-years return for a second year. 45% graduate within four years and 68% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 58.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 72.0% of everyone else, a gap of 14.0 points.
How big are the classes?
27% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 11% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 78% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 11% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
What is life at Oregon State like?
31,586 undergraduates, 43% of first-years from out of state. 91% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 16% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 12% of men join a fraternity and 15% of women a sorority. 31% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $60,312.
What this means for your student
- 50% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.7. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 292 of 292 who waited were admitted, about 100%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $112,393 five years out against $36,871 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Oregon State
What GPA do you 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.
Does the Oregon State waitlist move?
292 students accepted a place on the Oregon State waiting list and 292 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Oregon State graduates earn?
Oregon State graduates earn a median $64,010 ten years after entering, and 82% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Oregon State
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Oregon State’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.
How to read these numbers · Back to the Oregon State profile