Oregon State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Oregon State University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 84%. Located in Corvallis, Oregon State University is one of only two universities in the country designated as a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant and sun-grant institution. These designations point to the strong research emphasis at Oregon State. Forestry is OSU's most highly ranked program, and the university manages well over 10,000 acres of forest. Other strong and popular programs are business and engineering. In athletics, the Division I Oregon State Beavers compete in the Pacific 12 Conference.

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

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Oregon State University had an acceptance rate of 84%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 84 students were admitted, making Oregon State's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle, Oregon State is introducing a test-optional policy. Applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores, but they are not required. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 72% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Oregon 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 Oregon State scored between 550 and 660, while 25% scored below 550 and 25% scored above 660. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 660, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 660. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1320 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Oregon State.

Requirements

For applicants who submit test scores, Oregon State does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that OSU does not superscore SAT results; your highest composite SAT from a single test date will be considered.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle, Oregon State is introducing a test-optional policy. Applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores, but they are not required. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 40% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Oregon State University's admitted students fall within the top 42% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to OSU received a composite ACT score between 21 and 28, while 25% scored above 28 and 25% scored below 21.

Requirements

For applicants who submit test scores, note that Oregon State does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. OSU does not require the optional ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of Oregon State's incoming freshmen class was 3.62, and over 43% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Oregon State University have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Oregon 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

Oregon State University, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. However, Oregon State University has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. Strong responses to the Insight Resume questions and participation in meaningful extracurricular activities can strengthen your application, as can a rigorous course schedule including AP, IB, or college coursework. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside of Oregon State's average range.

In the scattergram above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. As the data show, the majority of admitted students had high school grades in the "A" or "B" range, ACT composite scores of 20 or higher, and combined SAT scores of 1000 or better.

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

• University of Arizona
• Stanford University
• San Diego State University
• Boise State University
• Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo
• Colorado State University - Fort Collins
• University of California - Davis

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