by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top Oregon Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 29 colleges and universities across Oregon to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
University of Oregon tops this year’s ranking as the best school in Oregon for overall quality.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UO make an average of $61,324 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oregon State University. The school came in at #2 in Oregon on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State go into careers with an average salary of $64,010 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Portland. The school came in at #3 in Oregon on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 76%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from University of Portland is $82,804 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Portland Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Oregon.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,592 during the early years of their career..
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Portland State University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Oregon.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University is $57,906 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #6, Pacific University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon list.
The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. During the early years of their career, graduates from Pacific make an average of $60,583 a year.
Western Oregon University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking, coming in at #7.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon State College is $51,815 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #8, Oregon Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from OIT make an average of $72,273 a year.
George Fox University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking, coming in at #9.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,761 during the early years of their career..
Lewis & Clark College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in Oregon list.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Lewis and Clark College go into careers with an average salary of $62,205 during the early years of their career.
Chemeketa Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking, coming in at #11.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Chemeketa Community College is $40,968 during the early years of their career.
Mt. Hood Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from MHCC is $41,125 during the early years of their career.
Lane Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Oregon list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,075 during the early years of their career..
Corban University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking, coming in at #14.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Corban make an average of $48,917 a year.
Southwestern Oregon Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges in Oregon list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from SWOCC is $38,349 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #16, Linfield University - McMinnville Campus did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Linfield make an average of $78,638 a year.
Read full report on Linfield University - McMinnville Campus
Umpqua Community College landed the #17 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Umpqua Community College is $36,676 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #18, Willamette University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Willamette make an average of $56,911 a year.
With a ranking of #19, Blue Mountain Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from BMCC make an average of $38,375 a year.
Rogue Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in Oregon list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $36,845 during the early years of their career..
Reed College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking, coming in at #21.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Reed make an average of $62,927 per year during the early years of their career.
Southern Oregon University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Oregon ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon University go into careers with an average salary of $49,175 during the early years of their career.
Eastern Oregon University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Oregon ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from EOU go into careers with an average salary of $50,112 during the early years of their career.
Central Oregon Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Oregon ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from COCC go into careers with an average salary of $38,940 during the early years of their career.
Bushnell University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges in Oregon list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Bushnell University make an average of $53,623 a year.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.