Private Nonprofit · Forest Grove, Oregon

Pacific University

Pacific University is a private nonprofit institution in Forest Grove, Oregon. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$60,583
10-yr median earnings
89.6%
Acceptance rate
$35,273
Avg net price / yr
65.9%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Pacific University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 15%
former-student earnings, US
89.6%
acceptance rate
65.9%
150%-time completion
+29%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Suburb: Large Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Pacific University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C-
College Value Score
53/100
Pacific University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings A-
$60,583
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$35,273
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate C+
65.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,223
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A+
84.8%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention C
79.5%
First-year students returning for year two
Pacific University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$60,583

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$35,273

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

65.9%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 65.9%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Pacific University vs peers

Pacific University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Pacific University positioned by earnings vs… Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Prof Doctoral/P… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $21K $83K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $15K $38K Avg Net Price ($) Pacific University (you are here): $61K earn · $35K net · 66% grad You are here - Pacific University Willamette University: $57K earn · $25K net · 72% grad Willamette Univers… Linfield University: $79K earn · $27K net · 68% grad Linfield University Reed College: $63K earn · $33K net · 74% grad Reed College Lewis & Clark College: $62K earn · $36K net · 73% grad Lewis & Clark Coll… Corban University: $49K earn · $28K net · 61% grad Corban University Bushnell University: $54K earn · $21K net · 59% grad Northwest College-Beaverton: $24K earn · $18K net · 50% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Pacific University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Pacific University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$60,583 Top 15% higher than 85% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Pacific University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $60,583 #768 of 5103 85th
Average net price $35,273 #4744 of 5020 5th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 65.9% #1749 of 4858 64th
Undergraduate enrollment 1,516 #1745 of 5462 68th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

1,516
Undergraduate enrollment
89.6%
Acceptance rate
1,090
SAT average
65.9%
150%-time completion
$60,583
10-yr median earnings
79.5%
First-year retention

How Pacific University ranks in Oregon

State rank among 59 reporting Oregon colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Pacific University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $60,583 #10 of 59 83rd
Average net price $35,273 #52 of 56 7th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 65.9% #24 of 57 58th
Undergraduate enrollment 1,516 #22 of 65 66th

Highest former-student earnings in Oregon

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Oregon Health & Science University$101,028-
2University of Portland$82,804$28,210
3Linfield University$78,638$26,536
4Oregon Institute of Technology$72,273$15,706
5Oregon State University$64,010$19,604
6Oregon State University-Cascades Campus$64,010$18,048
7Reed College$62,927$33,013
8Lewis & Clark College$62,205$36,013
9University of Oregon$61,324$22,182
10Pacific UniversityThis school$60,583$35,273
11George Fox University$59,761$31,679
12Portland State University$57,906$9,552

Admissions

Admission Rate 89.6%
SAT Average 1,090
SAT Math (25th-75th) 420 – 610
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 480 – 630
ACT Average 23
ACT (25th-75th) 18 – 29
0%100%89.6%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Pacific University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Pacific University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $56,374
Out-of-State Tuition $56,374
Average Net Price $35,273
27.8%
Pell Grant Rate
80.5%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,223
Median Debt
$246/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at Pacific University rose +27.4% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $27,742 in 2013 to $35,350 in 2023, a rise of $7,608 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $27,7422014: $27,5922015: $29,4222016: $30,0352017: $29,9022018: $31,4502019: $29,4982020: $32,0452021: $34,0632022: $33,9302023: $35,350
2013 · $27,7422023 · $35,350

Over the same years, enrollment went -10.0% (1,729 → 1,556 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

60.6%
Female
28.6%
First Generation

Outcomes

79.5%
Retention Rate
$46,936
Median Earnings (6yr)
64.0%
Earning Over $25K
84.8%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 65.9%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 79.5%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $46,936
Median earnings 10 years after entry $60,583
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 64.0%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 84.8%
Median federal student debt At completion $23,223
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $246/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 18 342 $63,935 $105,018 $25,078
Master's 10 328 $78,783 $128,605 $69,957
Doctoral 5 10 $116,688 $151,842 $199,997

Top programs at Pacific University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Doctoral - $151,842 $216,605
Optometry Doctoral - $136,799 $205,643
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Master's 64 $128,605 $148,580
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology Doctoral 10 $108,345 $256,017
Computer Science Bachelor's 12 $105,018 -
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Doctoral - $103,070 $177,722
Health and Medical Administrative Services Master's 10 $100,098 $50,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 18 $92,510 $44,500
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Doctoral - $83,383 $144,000
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology Master's 82 $81,207 $101,251
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Bachelor's 33 $78,641 $22,500
Health and Medical Administrative Services Bachelor's 14 $76,880 -
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Master's 30 $72,584 $92,127
Social Work Master's 24 $66,596 $70,328
Criminology Bachelor's 7 $64,029 -

Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Pacific University?
Pacific University is a private nonprofit institution in Forest Grove, Oregon. The acceptance rate is 89.6%. The average SAT score is 1,090. Undergraduate enrollment is 1,516 students.
How much do Pacific University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Pacific University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $60,583 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $46,936.
How much does Pacific University cost?
The average net price at Pacific University is $35,273. In-state tuition is $56,374 and out-of-state tuition is $56,374. Median student debt at graduation is $23,223.
What is the graduation rate at Pacific University?
Pacific University has a 65.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 79.5%.
Is Pacific University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Pacific University is $23,223, while former students earn a median of $60,583 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 38% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 84.8% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $246.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Pacific University

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.