Public
Accredited · Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Portland, Oregon
90.9% Acceptance Rate
Portland State University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
90.9%Acceptance Rate
3.36Avg GPA
1125Avg SAT
$22,449Annual Cost
$57,906Grad Salary
39.6%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
90.9%
Avg GPA
3.36
Avg SAT
1125
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
SAT Middle 50%
1085–1155
Avg Net Price
$12,932
Need-Based Aid
39.6% receive Pell
Portland State University (OR) is an urban research university focused on community-based learning and sustainable innovation. Admissions are selective, prioritizing students with strong academic preparation who are ready to engage in city-driven internships and collaborative projects. Demonstrating initiative in urban or civic affairs is a plus.
Portland State University Acceptance Rate
Portland State University runs an open-access admission policy — with a 90.9% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 90.9% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.91
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Portland State University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Portland State University is August 1 for Space Available applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 3 days left — Space Available
Space Available
August 1
Priority
February 3
💡 The scholarship deadline (February 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Portland State University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Portland State University is 3.36. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.06–3.36 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.56–3.76.Portland State University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.96 – 3.15
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.95
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate approximately 91% (IPEDS 2024-25); no application fee, no essays or letters of rec required for undergraduate admission; test-optional through 2026; multiple entry quarters (fall, winter, spring, summer).
- All undergraduates must complete a required 6-credit Senior Capstone course working with a real Portland-area community partner as a graduation requirement; 200+ Capstone options available annually across disciplines.
- Honors College requires a separate application (priority deadline January 1); Honors coursework replaces standard gen ed, does not add time to degree; unlocks additional scholarship pools including tuition-remission awards.
- WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) eligible for out-of-state western U.S. students, offering significantly reduced tuition; Urban & Regional Planning (MURP) ranked #16 nationally by Planetizen; PSU is an R2 research university in downtown Portland.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Portland State University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Portland State University's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Portland State University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Portland State University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Portland State University Without SAT or ACT?
Portland State University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Portland State University Average SAT Score: 1125
The average SAT score of admitted students at Portland State University is 1125 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1125 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1155 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Portland State University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1085, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Portland State University. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1125 | 1085 | 1155 |
Below 1085, you're behind most admitted students; at 1155 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1150
Can I get into Portland State University with a 1150 SAT?
A 1150 SAT puts you ahead of most of Portland State University's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Portland State University
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Portland State University's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
Understand That Admission Requires No Essay - But the Senior Capstone Will Be Your Most Public Academic Work
PSU's undergraduate application requires only a high school transcript and GPA - no essays, no letters of recommendation, and no application fee. This low-friction process surprises students who prepare supplemental materials that aren't needed. What students often don't know going in is that every PSU undergraduate must complete a 6-credit Senior Capstone course as a graduation requirement. The Capstone places students on interdisciplinary teams working directly with a Portland-area community partner organization, and the work is public-facing. With 200+ Capstone options across themes from food security to criminal justice, students should browse and identify Capstone courses early - some popular ones require separate applications or fill quickly.
Apply by the Priority Deadline and Submit FAFSA Early for Automatic Merit
PSU is test-optional through 2026, has no application fee, and offers automatic merit scholarships based on GPA at the time of admission - including an Out-of-State Opportunity Scholarship for qualifying non-Oregon students, which is awarded without a separate application. The Presidential Scholarship covers full in-state tuition and is also merit-based. None of these require separate scholarship applications, but students must apply by PSU's stated priority deadline to be fully considered. Filing the FAFSA early matters separately for need-based Oregon Opportunity Grant eligibility. Missing the priority deadline doesn't close admission but can cost students scholarship dollars they would otherwise have received automatically.
Apply Separately to the Honors College for Additional Scholarship Access
PSU's Honors College has a separate application with a priority deadline of January 1 for the following fall - this is independent of the general PSU application. Honors students replace standard University Studies general education requirements with Honors-specific coursework, so the program does not add time to a degree. Critically, Honors College admission unlocks access to additional scholarship pools not available to the general student body, including the Laurels award (tuition remission) and STEM, sustainability, and editorial fellowship scholarships. First-gen and Pell-eligible students are specifically flagged in PSU's materials as strong candidates for these Honors funds.
Use the Quarter System and Multiple Entry Points Strategically
PSU admits students for fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters - a structural flexibility that most Oregon students don't take advantage of. A student who applies in August for winter quarter enrollment can begin in January and complete a full year's credits before the following August. This also applies to transfer students: PSU accepts transfers every quarter, and because the University Studies gen ed pathway is structured sequentially, entering in fall aligns cleanest with the Freshman Inquiry sequence. Students who enter mid-year should meet with an advisor immediately to map which UNST course they should enter at their level.
Expert Insight:
PSU's biggest counselor-visible failure pattern is students who enroll in general PSU but don't separately apply to the Honors College by the January 1 priority deadline - meaning they forfeit scholarship access that wouldn't have required any additional coursework or time. A secondary failure mode: students who select a PSU major popular in Portland's economy (urban planning, social work, computer science) without checking whether that program has department-specific admission requirements, supplemental applications, or limited enrollment separate from general PSU admission. The Urban Studies PhD program is currently under a three-year admissions moratorium (Fall 2024?2026) - graduate students should verify program status directly before applying.
Portland State University Profile
Full Name
Portland State University
City
Portland
State
Oregon
ZIP Code
97201
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Is a Portland State University Degree Worth It?
Portland State University offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes — the figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $62,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.07%.
How much does a degree from Portland State University Cost?
The sticker price is $22,449/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $12,932.
39.6% of students receive a Pell Grant and 32.8% take federal loans at Portland State University — file your FAFSA early and list Portland State University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Portland State University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $57,906 — about 43% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Portland State University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
| University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR | 1088 | 21 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | 1093 | 22 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | 1084 | 20 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 1077 | 22 |
| Central Connecticut State University | New Britain, CT | 1091 | 24 |
| University of Saint Joseph | West Hartford, CT | 1100 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Portland State University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, CA | 1116 | 22 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Portland State University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
Degree Programs at Portland State University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Portland State University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Portland State University run about $57,906 a year.
At about $22,449 a year, Portland State University is on the more affordable end.
About 39.6% receive a Pell Grant at Portland State University — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 90.9%, Portland State University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Portland State University average a 3.36 GPA.
Portland State University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.06 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.96, Portland State University becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Portland State University — aim above 1125, ideally within the 1085–1155 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Portland State University is August 1 for Space Available applicants.
The application fee is 65. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is February 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.