Portland Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Portland, Oregon. It enrolls 19,531 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
57/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes20
Value59
Affordability46
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Portland Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Portland Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $10,405 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,405
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
32%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
21%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,220
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,440
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,462
Books & Supplies
$1,707
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,054
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,934
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,937
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,229
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,327
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,102
Over $110,000
$15,868
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,83310%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$12,999Medianpercentile
$17,77175%percentile
$28,50790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,907
↓ $4,092
No Pell $5,500
↓ $7,499
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $7,499
Independent students $9,500
↓ $3,499
Female students $7,479
↓ $5,520
Male students $7,030
↓ $5,969
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,647, less than completers ($12,999), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
15% of full-time students who enrolled at Portland Community College graduate within six years, and 63% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
15%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Portland Community College earn a median of $44,592 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,592
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$37,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$45,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$50,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,000, about 17% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
35.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 86% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Portland Community College is home to 19,531 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 44% are first-generation college students, 59% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
19,531
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 49.7%9,705
Hispanic 23.5%4,582
Other 8.1%1,588
Asian 8.1%1,572
Black 5.7%1,105
International 0.8%156
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Portland Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityPortland, Oregon
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
41%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Portland Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
65 distinct programs across
23 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Portland Community College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,738
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$77,226
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
401 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
401
100%
$77,226
Pros & Cons of Portland Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Portland Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Portland Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Portland Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Portland Community College.
Is Portland Community College hard to get into?
Portland Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Portland Community College?
Portland Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Portland Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Portland Community College is $10,405 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Portland Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,592 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,405 per year. That's roughly 4.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Portland Community College known for?
Portland Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Allied Health Diagnostic, Precision Metal Working. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Portland Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Portland Community College are $44,592, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Portland Community College accredited?
Yes. Portland Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Portland Community College?
Portland Community College enrolls 19,531 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Portland Community College?
Portland Community College graduates 15% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Portland Community College a public or private college?
Portland Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Portland Community College located?
Portland Community College is located in Portland, Oregon.
What programs does Portland Community College offer?
Portland Community College offers 65 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Allied Health Diagnostic, Precision Metal Working.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Portland Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Portland Community College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Oregon
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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