Portland State earns top ranking for student mobility

Portland State University is once again No. 1 for Social Mobility in Oregon, according to new rankings released today by U.S. News and World Report. This ranking points to PSU’s success in enrolling and graduating economically disadvantaged students by prioritizing its students.

Portland State is also ranked the top university in Oregon by the 2024 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse Ranking of U.S. Colleges and 125th in the nation based on their assessment of how a college improves student success, students’ chances of graduating on time and its contribution to boosting student salaries post-graduation.

"I chose to come to Portland State because I believe deeply in its core mission of serving students and serving this city through community-engaged teaching, learning and research," said PSU President Ann Cudd, who became the university's 11th president on Aug. 1. “These rankings speak to the core of PSU's mission and celebrate our focus on student success and elevating traditionally marginalized communities."

The WSJ/College Pulse ranking calculated that it takes students 1 year and 11 months to pay off their debt, on average. Programs like Tuition-Free Degree that cover tuition and most mandatory fees mean that PSU’s students are able to graduate with less debt than their peers and recover financially more quickly.  The ranking also shows that PSU continues to be the most diverse university in Oregon, with a diversity score of 84 compared to its counterparts with scores in the 40s.

U.S. News also ranked PSU No. 1 in Oregon for Service Learning, which speaks to the university’s commitment to transforming lives through experiential learning. Students at Portland State must complete community service projects as part of their degree, often working to better their community and the city in which they live.

“When students move up in society, they take their communities with them, they take the city of Portland with them,” Cudd said. “I have seen this impact firsthand, and am thrilled to help create generational change at Portland State.”