Portland State welcomed a diverse and accomplished group of freshmen, transfer and graduate students to join its vibrant student body this fall. While enrollment numbers are down overall, a closer look reveals some highlights.
Diversity: The number of Latino students at PSU increased again this year to 3,752. Students who identify as Hispanic/Latino now make up 14.4% of the PSU student body, compared to 13.7% in 2018 and 12.6% in 2017. This year about 39% of undergraduates are students of color.
Online courses: The number of PSU students taking online courses is up to 8,467 this fall, an increase of 212 students from last fall. This means nearly a third (32.5%) of PSU students are taking at least one online course.
Out-of-state students: PSU continues to enroll a geographically diverse student body. This year 22.3% of enrolled students are not Oregon residents, a slight rise over last year’s percentage. However, PSU enrolled fewer international students this year, continuing a trend that has been observed nationally.
GPA: The average high school GPA for undergraduate students who enrolled this fall was 3.48, a slight increase from last fall’s average of 3.46.
Transfers: PSU welcomed 2,744 new transfer students this fall. The number of current students who have transferred to PSU from other institutions now totals 10,145, about 60% of degree-seeking undergraduates. The high number of transfer students is linked to the popularity of Transfers Finish Free, a program that was introduced last year. This program covers tuition and fees for full-time transfer students who are Oregon residents and meet certain academic and financial aid requirements. Transfers Finish Free is off to a promising start with 2,268 students enrolled so far; 83.5% of students who joined the program last year stayed enrolled at PSU this year.
Overall, 26,021 students enrolled at PSU this fall, representing a decrease of about 4% from last year’s enrollment. Enrollment is down for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Vice President of Enrollment Management Chuck Knepfle says several factors led to a decrease in undergraduate enrollment this year, including the declining number of high school students and graduation rates in Oregon and across the country and declining enrollment rates at the Oregon community colleges that send many transfer students to PSU.
Knepfle notes that there has also been more competition from other Oregon public universities and in-state schools in other states like California.
“These factors, coupled with the challenges faced by both the city of Portland and Portland State last year, created a perfect storm for decreased enrollment," Knepfle says.
While a decline in enrollment was anticipated for this year, this fall’s numbers are worse than anticipated, which will have ramifications for PSU’s budget.
In an email to the campus community, Interim President Stephen Percy said that the university is engaging on multiple fronts to increase enrollment. This includes the Student Success Effort, led by Provost Susan Jeffords, which aims to improve student retention. Meanwhile, the university is implementing a strategic plan to boost enrollment and embarking on a two-year marketing campaign to share PSU’s successes more broadly.
“We are doing exceptional work and, as so many of you have told me since I became interim president, we must shine a brighter light on our accomplishments,” Percy wrote.