
Tulsa, OKprivate nonprofitoru.edu
Admit rate has ranged 68%–99% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Oral Roberts University (ORU) is a charismatic Christian university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Pentecostal fervor meets practical career preparation. With an acceptance rate hovering near 99%, ORU casts a wide net for students seeking a spirit-empowered education, offering over 150 programs from nursing to ministry. The campus thrums with evangelical energy—think mandatory chapel services and a 99% career outcomes rate that outpaces national averages—but struggles with a middling 54% graduation rate that reveals the challenges of its open-door admissions.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Outcomes & value
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
ORU's admissions process is among the most accessible in American higher education, with reported Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. ranging from 68% to 99% across different sources—though recent data leans toward the higher end. The university admits students with mid-range test scores (SAT 1120-1310, ACT 22-28) and an average high school GPA of 3.53. Unlike selective institutions, ORU appears to prioritize its evangelical mission over academic exclusivity, explicitly stating it admits students 'of any race, color, national and ethnic origin' while maintaining its Christian identity.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
ORU markets itself as 'one of the most academically rigorous Christian universities,' offering over 150 majors spanning theology to engineering. The curriculum merges charismatic Christian theology with career-focused programs—business and ministry dominate as the most popular majors. A distinctive Academic and Career Exploration program helps students align majors with their skills, while the university emphasizes 'research and career-ready outcomes.' Faculty relationships appear strong given the 17:1 student-faculty ratio, with Quora testimonials praising professor quality despite the institution's theological bent.
Campus life orbits around ORU's Pentecostal identity, with Facebook posts touting a 'Spirit-empowered culture' and students who bring 'smiles, laughter, and life.' The university emphasizes spiritual growth opportunities alongside typical clubs and activities. Recent expansion includes four new buildings, with more underway, reflecting 17 consecutive years of enrollment growth. Descriptions paint a picture of intense community bonding—Niche notes the 'deeply supportive community' and 'stunning scenery' of the Tulsa campus. One telling detail: mandatory chapel services underscore the institution's fusion of academic and religious life.
ORU's outcomes data tells two stories: First, its 99% career outcomes rate (81.87% employed, 18% in grad school) for five consecutive years dramatically outperforms the 84.7% national average. Yet its 54% graduation rate lands in the 'bottom 45% of comparable institutions,' suggesting academic challenges for some students. The disparity may reflect ORU's dual identity—exceptionally effective at job placement (especially within faith-based networks) but struggling with retention at its open-access admission tier. Notably, the Class of 2024 saw near-total postgraduate placement, a selling point the university heavily promotes.
With 66.38% of students receiving financial aid and an average package of $34,672, ORU's Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. drops to $24,347 after scholarships. Academic awards range from $6,000-$11,000, while athletic scholarships can cover full tuition. A unique LEAP program allows students to earn up to $15,000 in loan credit post-graduation. While not the most affordable Christian college, ORU leverages its endowment to provide substantial support—particularly for those excelling academically or athletically within its faith-based framework.
ORU occupies a singular niche: a Pentecostal powerhouse where students pray in tongues before biochemistry labs and graduate into jobs at twice the national placement rate. Its 99% acceptance policy and 54% graduation rate reveal the tensions of its mission—simultaneously inclusive and exacting. For evangelical students seeking career preparation steeped in charismatic worship (and employers within that network), few institutions match ORU's focused ecosystem. The expanding campus and 17-year enrollment growth suggest this model resonates despite higher education's secularizing trends.