Portland State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Portland State University

 Joelotz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-1.0

Portland State University is public university with an acceptance rate of 90%. Established in 1946 to accommodate veterans returning from World War II, Portland State is located on a 49-acre campus in downtown Portland, Oregon. At the undergraduate level, Portland State students can choose from 120 bachelor's degree programs. Popular undergraduate majors include psychology, biology, computer science, and accounting. The university has an 18-to-1 student/faculty ratio. In athletics, the Portland State Vikings compete in the NCAA Division I Big Sky Conference for most sports.

Considering applying to Portland State University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Portland State University had an acceptance rate of 90%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 90 students were admitted, making PSU's admissions process less competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2017-18)
Number of Applicants 6,743
Percent Admitted 90%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 31%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Portland State University requires that most applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. Applicants who have not attended high school for three years or more are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 43% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 510 630
Math 500 600
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Portland State's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to PSU scored between 510 and 630, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 630. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 500 and 600, while 25% scored below 500 and 25% scored above 600. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1230 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Portland State University.

Requirements

Portland State requires the optional SAT writing section. Note that Portland State University does not superscore SAT results; your highest composite SAT score will be considered.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Portland State University requires that most applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. Applicants who have not attended high school for three years or more are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 36% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 18 25
Math 17 25
Composite 18 25

This admissions data tells us that most of Portland State University's admitted students fall within the bottom 40% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to PSU received a composite ACT score between 18 and 25, while 25% scored above 25 and 25% scored below 18.

Requirements

Note that Portland State does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. Portland State University requires the ACT writing section

GPA

In 2018, the average high school GPA of Portland State University's incoming freshmen class was 3.46, and nearly half of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.5 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Portland State University have primarily high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

Portland State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
Portland State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Portland State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Portland State University, which accepts 90% of applicants, has a less selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's required minimums, you have a strong chance of being accepted. Students with a GPA of 3.0 or above in core courses including four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, three years of natural science (one year with a lab is recommended), and two years of the same foreign language have a strong chance of admission. Freshman applicants who do not meet the minimum 3.00 GPA are considered for admission based on a combination of GPA and test scores.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent students who were accepted to Portland State University. The great majority had a high school GPA of 3.0 (a "B") or better, a combined SAT score (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, and an ACT composite score of 18 or higher. You can see that a significant number of admitted students had grades in the "A" range.

If You Like Portland State University, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Portland State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Portland State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/portland-state-university-admissions-787883. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 29). Portland State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/portland-state-university-admissions-787883 Grove, Allen. "Portland State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/portland-state-university-admissions-787883 (accessed March 29, 2024).