That question is a good starting point, because this university has a profile worth understanding piece by piece before your child falls in love with it or dismisses it without knowing it. Here I explain what the federal data does show, with its limitations clearly marked, so you can incorporate it into a larger plan.
What Kind of School It Is, and What That Label Does Not Tell You
Oregon Institute of Technology is a public four-year-or-higher university. The Carnegie system, which classifies US schools by what they do, describes it as a baccalaureate college with diverse fields. IPEDS records the doctoral degree as the highest level it reports offering, although that is institutional information: It does not tell you whether your child’s exact major exists or whether it connects undergraduate and graduate study. You must verify that yourself, program by program.
One detail that matters if your family does not live nearby: Carnegie classifies it as primarily nonresidential. That means that, according to the 2019-20 data, either fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing or fewer than half studied full time. The data does not clarify which of the two conditions was met, and it also does not mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as we will see later. But if your child will be commuting to and from campus, what you need to start calculating now is the bus, gasoline, and hours on the road.
Another part of its profile: Carnegie places it among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying somewhere else, that does not tell you how many credits students typically bring with them or how many are lost in the transition. Request that evaluation in writing.
And one clarification worth keeping in mind from the beginning: Oregon Institute of Technology has none of these three federal designations: It is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. This does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask about that directly by talking with someone who already studies there.
A Mid-Sized School, With a Hispanic Community That Is Neither a Majority Nor Unusual
In fall 2023, Oregon Institute of Technology had 5,103 enrolled students: 5,012 undergraduates and 91 graduate students. It is primarily a career-oriented school. It is neither one of the smallest nor one of the largest; it falls right at the midpoint of its comparison group among the selective public four-year schools in this census.
Of every 100 undergraduate students, 16 identified as Hispanic or Latino that same fall. That is not a majority, but it is not unusual either. Compared with the 519 selective public four-year schools that report this data, it ranks above the midpoint of the group. Keep in mind that this comparison does not account for the part of the country where the school is located, and that matters for Oregon Institute of Technology because peers are grouped by school type, not by state.
The undergraduate population is divided almost evenly between men and women: 52 of every 100 are women. There is also a real mix of ages: 19 of every 100 students are between 25 and 64 years old, so this is not just a campus of recent high school graduates.
Just over half of entering students, 73 of every 100, reported a permanent address in the same state when they applied. With so many part-time students in the overall enrollment, it is worth asking directly when courses for your child’s intended major are offered instead of assuming a traditional schedule.
How the Academic Year Works, and How Solid “We Accept Credits” Really Is
Oregon Institute of Technology uses the quarter system: three terms per year of about 12 weeks each, with the possibility of a fourth term in the summer. The year is divided into fixed dates that are the same for everyone.
The school reported two ways for what your child has already learned to count for credit: AP exams and what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—independent study, work experience, portfolios, or previous licenses or certifications. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth behind that list: The school’s reporting these pathways does not mean your child will automatically receive credit for them. Saying “we accept AP” does not tell you what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits apply to your child’s specific intended major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
In one recent year, Oregon Institute of Technology awarded 637 bachelor’s degrees across 11 families of fields of study. But the distribution is uneven: health professions accounted for 295 of those 637 degrees, nearly 46 of every 100. Compared with the other 514 selective public schools, it falls in the lowest quarter for the variety of field families represented in its bachelor’s-degree detail. This does not measure quality or current offerings: Before deciding, ask about your child’s exact intended major, how many students graduated from it, how long they took, and what the curriculum is like.
As for class size, the official ratio is 14 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent instructional staff member. That is a low ratio compared with its 519 peers. But be careful: This number alone does not demonstrate that more attention is available to each student, and it does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class.
The institution also reports two structured academic opportunities: study abroad and cocurricular undergraduate research.
Getting In Is Likely. Enrolling, Not as Much
Here is one of the most important tensions in this entire profile, and it deserves to be read in full.
Oregon Institute of Technology does not have open admissions: It reviews application components before saying yes. Of the nine considerations measured by this count, it marked four as required: the high school record, grade point average, completion of the college-preparatory coursework the university requires, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. By contrast, it marked the following as not considered in the admissions decision: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a relative attended the school.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether the English exam applies and what provides an exemption. It is one of those things people discover late.
Now for the surprising figure: In the 2023 cycle, Oregon Institute of Technology received 5,006 first-time applications and offered admission to 4,589 applicants. That is 92 of every 100. It is among the schools that do admit applicants—in fact, it ranks on the high side compared with its 519 selective peers.
But look at what happens next: Of every 100 admitted students, only 9 enrolled. Put another way, of every 11 who received a yes, roughly one ultimately took the spot. It has one of the lowest enrollment rates among its peers: Nine out of ten similar schools rank above it.
Do not read that as a blemish. The federal record does not say why each person made the choice they made, and a low enrollment rate does not make a school bad. What I can tell you is this: What other people decided does not tell you what your child will be offered. Wait for the letter with your child’s net price—that is what the year will actually cost—and decide whether this school stays on the list with that number in hand.
The SAT and ACT are optional here: If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application remains active. Only 14 of every 100 enrolled students submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 525 and 650 in reading and writing and between 520 and 650 in math. Those numbers are for students who actually enrolled, not all applicants, so they are neither a minimum nor a guarantee.
Regarding transfers: From a cohort of students who entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 23 of every 100 transferred to another school without completing here. Transferring is not the same as failing, but your child should know in advance how to request the necessary records to leave if needed. On the other side, the school also receives many incoming transfer students: 410 students arrived in fall 2023 after previously studying at another institution. That number does not say how many courses were accepted; request that information in writing with the course list in hand.
Money: Two Very Different Prices, and a Gap You Need to Ask About
At Oregon Institute of Technology, among 41 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $10,338. Among 29 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $14,959; among 50 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $22,085. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (41 students) and the highest-income band (50 students) is $11,747. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $17,274.
$10,338 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the aid letter.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Aid and Loans: Who Receives What
Aid that does not have to be repaid—grants and scholarships—reached 64 of every 100 degree- or certificate-seeking students. That is more than half, but not everyone, and compared with its 519 peers, it falls in the quarter where grant or scholarship aid reaches fewer students. Among those who did receive it, the annual average was $9,000.
The Pell Grant, federal aid for low-income families, reached 30 of every 100. The difference between that 64 and that 30 may include state, local, institutional, or other federal aid that is not Pell; the report does not make it possible to know exactly what makes up the difference. Ask which programs comprise it.
Regarding loans, 26 of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan during the 2022-23 school year, with an average of $7,479 among those who borrowed. Compared with its peers, it ranks on the low side: Seven out of ten similar schools had a higher share of students with debt.
Here is a hard truth, stated plainly: This percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would have to borrow comes from your child’s own financial aid letter, not from this average. And that average of $7,479 covers only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name—it does not include Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or debt accumulated by graduation. Wait for the letter before dismissing the school or committing to it.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan as an option for managing the cost.
Campus Life, Athletics, and What Is Not Marked
There is institution-controlled housing, with capacity for 725 students on or off campus. It is not required for all first-time, full-time students, although that does not rule out the possibility that a particular program may require it. Meal plans are also available, but the number of meals per week varies by plan. Request this year’s rate in writing and ask whether your child is guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
One fact that may matter if your child has this plan in mind: In its most recent report, Oregon Institute of Technology did not mark any ROTC opportunity—neither the general box nor any of the three branches. Of the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 of 1,786 did mark it; this school was not among them. That does not prove there is no option nearby, only that none was reported in this field. If it matters to you, ask admissions directly before ruling it out.
It does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NAIA, with membership reported in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. The membership belongs to the school, not your child: If your child is seeking an athletic scholarship, write directly to the coach and ask whether there is an opening, which division they compete in, and for written confirmation.
Regarding distance education, it is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of every 100 undergraduate students, 11 took their entire course load remotely, and 89 took at least one in-person class. The institution also reported offering at least one complete distance program, although the data does not confirm at which specific level—verify it yourself.
The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary loans. The institution also reports several forms of support: combined academic and career counseling, employment services, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, a student veterans’ organization, and a disability services page. Their being reported says nothing about their quality or effectiveness: Investigate that by speaking with the appropriate office.
How Many Stay, and How Many Graduate
Here we come to the part almost every family wants to know first and that deserves to be read carefully.
Of the cohort of full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in fall 2022, 73 of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. This is the official retention measure. Compared with its 519 peers, it ranks slightly below the midpoint of the group. Keep in mind that this figure should not be combined with the figure for part-time students in that same cohort, whose retention was only 26 of every 100—these are two different groups of people with different circumstances, and a higher number for one does not prove that the mode of study is the cause.
Regarding graduation: Of a cohort of 302 first-time, full-time students who began bachelor’s-degree study in 2017, 59 of every 100 had graduated here within six years. But look at the four-year period, the one almost every family has budgeted for: The figure falls to 26 of every 100. There is a difference of 33 points between the two timeframes.
That gap is not a technical detail. The data does not say how many terms each person attended and does not report tuition, rent, or wages. And those additional years cost money—not only time, but also tuition and rent that were not in the original budget. Before signing, request in writing how long your child’s specific intended program usually takes, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if it takes longer than four years.
Of those same 302 students, in exact numbers: 177 students graduated here, 1 student completed a shorter program, 70 students transferred to another institution without completing here, 5 students remained enrolled without completing, and 49 students fell into the federal “no longer enrolled” category—a category that does not explain the reason and may include people who completed after the measured period.
A broader eight-year measure follows a different cohort of 1,311 undergraduate students who entered in 2015-2016, including both full-time and part-time students. As of August 2023, 53 of every 100 held a degree or certificate from this institution. This figure ranks below the midpoint of its 519 peers. Interestingly, the number among students with Pell Grants is identical: 53 of every 100—although that does not mean the path was the same for everyone.
From that same cohort, 26 of every 100 had an “unknown” enrollment status as of the reporting date: The report simply could not determine whether they remained enrolled anywhere. It does not mean they were not studying elsewhere, and it does not say why.
What You Now Know, and What Remains Yours to Decide
You now know something real about Oregon Institute of Technology: It is a mid-sized public school in a remote Oregon town, with accessible admissions but low enrollment after admission, a large gap between resident and out-of-state pricing, a strong concentration in health professions, and a significant difference between graduating in four years and graduating in six.
None of these numbers tells you whether your child will thrive there. Institutional averages do not predict one person’s experience. What you can do with this information is exactly what falls to you: Verify in writing what is still missing—credit equivalencies, residency tuition, housing, and the actual net price—and combine it with what your child wants to study, what your child has already built in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay.
A plan comes from that combination, not from a single article.
Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by Oregon Institute of Technology to the US Department of Education’s IPEDS system, primarily for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, except where a different period is indicated. Best College Aid does not represent Oregon Institute of Technology or any government entity; this article is independent informational material.