Oregon: the complete school report for parents
Oregon puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With an 87.4% admit rate and 53% 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, Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates earn a median $114,332 against $30,736 for Fine and Studio Arts.
Oregon is officially University of Oregon, also known as UO. 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 a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Oregon against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Oregon actually weigh in admissions?
Oregon rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Oregon's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Oregon rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Oregon consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Oregon consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Oregon consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Oregon consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider demonstrated interest?
No. Oregon does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Oregon consider an interview?
No. Oregon does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Oregon consider legacy status?
No. Oregon does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Oregon consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Oregon consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Oregon consider religious affiliation?
No. Oregon does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
53% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.73 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.96% 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 | 32.75% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 20.31% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 17.36% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 14.02% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 10.41% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 5.09% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.06% |
What is the Oregon waitlist really like?
Oregon offered a place on its waiting list to 1,941 applicants and 827 accepted one. 422 were ultimately admitted. That is 51.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Oregon admitted 67.9% of 2,792 transfer applicants, against 87.4% 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 reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| 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 does my child need to take in high school?
Oregon requires 15 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | Not stated |
| Mathematics | 3 years | Not stated |
| Science | 3 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | Not stated |
What will Oregon actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $22,182 a year at Oregon after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $14,532. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 54% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,470 merit awards averaging $8,854 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 | $15,909 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $15,760 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $18,364 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $24,704 |
| Over $110,000 | $31,021 |
40% of Oregon graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $26,691 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $214 a month in repayment. Oregon’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Oregon pay off?
Graduates earn a median $61,324 ten years after entering, and $46,084 at six years. 79% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 62% 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 | $63,636 | 3.7 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $63,040 | 3.6 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $73,456 | 4.2 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $98,816 | 5.7 |
| Over $110,000 | $124,084 | 7.2 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$114,332 to $30,736, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Oregon:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $114,332 | 80 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $90,545 | 95 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $79,314 | 535 |
| Economics | $77,115 | 188 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $72,762 | 84 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $71,111 | 470 |
| Political Science and Government | $69,621 | 194 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $68,297 | 197 |
| Social Sciences, General | $63,907 | 236 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $35,905 | 76 |
| Philosophy | $34,383 | 36 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $30,736 | 131 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
86% of first-years return for a second year. 57% graduate within four years and 71% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 61.5% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 74.5% of everyone else, a gap of 13.0 points.
How big are the classes?
30% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 11% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 19:1, and 71% 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 like?
20,710 undergraduates, 49.22% of first-years from out of state. 94% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 27% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 19% of men join a fraternity and 18% of women a sorority. 28% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $62,294.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- 53% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.73. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 422 of 827 who waited were admitted, about 51%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $114,332 five years out against $30,736 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
What GPA do you need for Oregon?
53% of enrolled students at Oregon had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.73, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Oregon waitlist move?
827 students accepted a place on the Oregon waiting list and 422 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Oregon graduates earn?
Oregon graduates earn a median $61,324 ten years after entering, and 79% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Oregon
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Oregon’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”.