Match #1
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate88%
- 20,497 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 88%, close to 91%
- Same control type (public)
The colleges most similar to Portland State University are University of Oregon, Western Oregon University, and Oregon State University. Portland State University admits 91% of applicants and has an average net price of $8,337 a year; 2 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 7 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Portland State University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Portland State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate98%
- 3,103 students
- Public
- Town: Fringe
- Acceptance rate 98%, close to 91%
- Same control type (public)
Match #3
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
Profile closeness59/100
Admit rate77%
- 30,743 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Same control type (public)
Match #4
Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR
Profile closeness56/100
Admit rate95%
- 2,892 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 53%
- Acceptance rate 95%, close to 91%
Match #5
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, OR
Profile closeness55/100
Admit rate89%
- 2,751 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 91%
- Same control type (public)
Match #6
Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, OR
Profile closeness48/100
Admit rate98%
- 2,172 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Acceptance rate 98%, close to 91%
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
Profile closeness93/100
Admit rate94%
- 15,023 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 53%, close to 53%
- Enrollment 15,023 students, close to 13,182
Match #8
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
Profile closeness91/100
Admit rate96%
- 18,639 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 50%, close to 53%
- Enrollment 18,639 students, close to 13,182
Match #9
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
Profile closeness88/100
Admit rate95%
- 14,877 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 55%, close to 53%
- Enrollment 14,877 students, close to 13,182
Match #10
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate95%
- 21,605 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 58%, close to 53%
- Acceptance rate 95%, close to 91%
Questions about Portland State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Portland State University?
The closest matches to Portland State University are University of Oregon, Western Oregon University, Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, and Southern Oregon University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Portland State University hard to get into?
Portland State University admitted 91% of its 6,859 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 7 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Portland State University alternatives cost less?
2 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Portland State University ($8,337 a year), including California State University-San Bernardino ($3,946) and California State University-Fresno ($5,418). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
