What Does It Cost to Attend the University of Portland?

The University of Portland is a Roman Catholic school with an elite reputation. In fact, the university has scored in the Top 10 Western Regional Universities for 24 years running. Plus, Portland holds the reputation for being the only university in Oregon to offer schools for business, education, nursing, engineering, and arts and science. Students can choose from 40 undergraduate major and 30 minor programs.

If you’re thinking of attending the University of Portland, you might be wondering how much it will cost to earn your degree. Fortunately, the actual cost for a student attending Portland is often significantly lower than the list cost. Read on for details on what it really costs to go to the University of Portland.

Why College Costs Are Highly Variable

Although the list price tag of a University of Portland degree may discourage many students from attending, it’s important to remember that college costs can vary dramatically. In fact, most students may wind up paying considerably less than the sticker price to earn an education. You can determine the actual price of attending Portland or another school by adding up the value of all forms of financial aid, including federal, state, and local grants and scholarships, and subtracting that total from the list price. This number is called the net price.

Although the University of Portland is a private school, the difference in cost from a public school in the same part of the country may not be as great as one might suspect. That’s because private colleges tend to boast large endowments. Keep your options open to determine which colleges and universities offer the best return on your educational investment.

What Is the List Price at the University of Portland?

A University of Portland degree comes with a high price tag. For the 2016-2017 academic year, the list price for this private school was $58,980. However, students from families earning less than $175,000 a year were unlikely to pay this rate. Additionally, students in that top 30% of accepted individuals tended to pay a lower price thanks to any additional merit aid.

What Is the University of Portland Financial Aid Net Price?

Students receiving financial aid pay slightly less to attend the University of Portland. For 2016-2017, the average net cost of tuition and fees was $53,259.

What Is the Family Income-Based Cost of Attending the University of Portland?

The cost to attend the University of Portland depends in large part on family income. You can see average tuition prices per salary bracket below:

How Much Merit Aid Do University of Portland Students Receive?

The percentage of students receiving merit-based aid at the University of Portland is quite high. Currently, 93.6% of students without financial need receive this form of aid with an average award amount of $15,727. These figures give Portland the 158 spot out of the 1000 schools CollegeVine analyzed for their merit aid generosity.

Due to its generous merit aid policy, students who don’t qualify for financial aid can expect to pay an average cost of $43,253 per year.

How Many University of Portland Students Take Out Loans?

Student loans can help make attending the University of Portland more affordable. Approximately 68% of attendees borrow money for school, with an average federal award of $7,525 over the course of four years.

Student Outcomes at the University of Portland

Evaluating student outcomes at the University of Portland can help families decide if the school is right for them. Because the college has a six-year graduation rate of 81%, students can feel relatively confident that they’ll complete their education on time. Ten years after finishing school, the average Portland graduate earns $58,800 annually.

Local Area Cost Considerations

Attending college in Portland means spending more than you would in other parts of the country. With a cost of living index of 147.8, the university is almost 50% more expensive than the average American city. Housing is particularly costly; expect to pay $1225 for a one-bedroom, $1432 for a two-bedroom, and $2073 for a three-bed.

Working part time is a great way to minimize college loan debt. With its minimum wage of $10.75, Oregon is on the lower end of states with regard to earning potential for college students. If you stick around after graduation, though, you can anticipating making $55,485 per year, which is the city average.

Ways to Save Money on College

If you’d rather not look for work in the city of Portland, finding a work-study job can help you make ends meet. Along with allowing students to earn money without leaving campus, work-study jobs have the benefit of featuring a little extra time for reading and doing homework.

Additionally, independent scholarships help students bridge the gap between financial aid and the total price of tuition. If your PSAT scores are high, consider applying to the National Merit Scholarship program, which recognizes the top 1 percent of scorers. Approximately 15,000 students a year a recognized as finalists through this program with the potential to receive college financing. You can learn about other scholarship opportunities on the university website.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!