Portland State University
Academics
How strong are the academics at Portland State University?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
17:1
Student to faculty ratio
26
Average class size
34%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
Portland State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
10-19
2-9
119
10-19
322
20-29
254
30-39
150
40-49
58
50-99
55
100+
11
Honors Programs
Portland State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
Learn more about honors options on Portland State's website.
Outcomes
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Portland State University:
76%
First-year retention rate
34%
4-year grad rate
53%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Portland State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Psychology, General
Social Sciences, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
96.2
154.76
213.32
271.88
330.44
389
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
- Architecture 39
Area
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 11
- Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 3
- Women's Studies 2
- American Indian/Native American Studies 2
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 1
- African-American/Black Studies 1
- Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 115
- Biochemistry 19
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 1
Business
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 158
- Accounting 119
- Business Administration and Management, General 100
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 82
- Finance, General 69
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 45
- Business Administration and Management, General 37
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 29
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other 25
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other 18
- Finance, General 9
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 6
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 4
- Accounting 4
- Finance and Financial Management Services, Other 0
- Real Estate 0
- Management Information Systems, General 0
Communication
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 56
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
- Recording Arts Technology/Technician 21
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Computer Science 127
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 64
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 5
Education
- Special Education and Teaching, General 9
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 0
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering 75
- Civil Engineering, General 48
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering 33
- Computer Engineering, General 15
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 12
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 73
- Creative Writing 25
- English Language and Literature, General 1
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other 37
Foreign Languages
- Linguistics 18
- Spanish Language and Literature 16
- Japanese Language and Literature 9
- Russian Language and Literature 7
- Spanish Language and Literature 5
- German Language and Literature 3
- French Language and Literature 2
- French Language and Literature 2
- German Language and Literature 1
- Chinese Language and Literature 0
- Arabic Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 88
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 88
- HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 88
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine 64
- Health and Wellness, General 36
- Audiology/Audiologist 33
- Health Services Administration 28
- Public Health Education and Promotion 4
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 3
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 3
- HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 3
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management 2
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine 2
- Health Services Administration 1
- Health and Wellness, General 1
- Public Health, Other 0
History
- History, General 35
- History, General 1
Homeland Security
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 123
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 1
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 174
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 56
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 39
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 145
- Biological and Physical Sciences 78
- International/Globalization Studies 20
- Biological and Physical Sciences 18
- Data Science, General 17
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 2
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 1
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Environmental Science 32
- Environmental Studies 26
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 15
- Philosophy 1
- Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
- Physics, General 14
- Geology/Earth Science, General 13
- Chemistry, General 11
Psychology
- Psychology, General 389
- Psychology, General 2
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
- Social Work 84
- Community Organization and Advocacy 10
Social Sciences
- Social Sciences, General 223
- Political Science and Government, General 78
- Social Sciences, General 54
- Sociology, General 42
- Economics, General 25
- Urban Studies/Affairs 24
- Anthropology, General 14
- Geography 13
- International Relations and Affairs 11
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 6
- Urban Studies/Affairs 3
- Sociology, General 3
- Political Science and Government, General 1
- Geography 1
- International Relations and Affairs 1
Visual And Performing Arts
- Graphic Design 68
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies 45
- Fine/Studio Arts, General 38
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 17
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other 16
- Music Performance, General 9
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 7
- Voice and Opera 4
- Music Theory and Composition 4
- Voice and Opera 1
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other 1
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology 0
- Dance, General 0
- Music, General 0
- Art/Art Studies, General 0
- Sculpture 0
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