
Corvallis, ORpublicoregonstate.edu
Admit rate has ranged 79%–89% 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.
Oregon State University is a powerhouse for STEM and environmental studies, with a sprawling, friendly campus in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Known for its robust engineering, forestry, and marine science programs, OSU combines rigorous academics with a laid-back, outdoorsy vibe. Its high acceptance rate (77.3%) and strong graduation outcomes (67-71%) make it an accessible yet impactful choice for students seeking hands-on research and a tight-knit community.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
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.
OSU is notably accessible, with a 77.3% acceptance rate (fall 2022 data), though admitted students typically boast solid academic credentials: the middle 50% SAT range is 1160–1390, ACT 24–31, and GPA 3.5+. The university is test-optional, welcoming home-schooled students who may opt to submit scores. Women are admitted at a slightly higher rate (85.3%) than men (82.0%), and the YieldThe share of admitted students who actually choose to enroll. Colleges watch it closely, which is why some weigh how interested you seem. rate (enrolled-to-admitted ratio) is higher for men (25.2%) than women (20.6%).**
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.
OSU’s academic identity is rooted in its land-grant mission, with 200+ undergraduate majors and 80+ graduate programs across 11 colleges. Standouts include:
Students praise the hands-on research opportunities and faculty accessibility, particularly in STEM. The Honors College offers smaller seminars for high-achievers.
Life at OSU revolves around outdoor recreation, school spirit, and diverse communities. With 32,000+ students and 400+ clubs, there’s a niche for everyone:
OSU delivers strong ROI, especially for STEM grads:
OSU is mid-range for public universities, with 80.4% of students receiving aid:
OSU excels at merging accessibility with excellence—its high acceptance rate doesn’t dilute its STEM clout. The university thrives as a research hub (think NOAA partnerships and forestry innovations) while maintaining a collaborative, outdoorsy culture. It’s the rare school where you can study climate science by day and join a mushroom-foraging club by night, all while benefiting from strong post-grad earnings.