Dr. Miguel Cardona (left), Secretary of Education and Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary | https://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/index.html
Dr. Miguel Cardona (left), Secretary of Education and Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary | https://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/index.html
Data shows that students paid $16,122 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $447 more than the previous school year.
Among the 15 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Reed College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $64,760. Lewis & Clark College followed with an average of $59,684 per year. Portland Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $5,055.
At the time, at least $91.8 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Multnomah County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $19.3 million.
Currently there are 20 higher education institutions in Multnomah County, including Warner Pacific University, Multnomah University, and Mt Hood Community College.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 20 institutions in Multnomah County, five did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including National University of Natural Medicine, East West College of the Healing Arts, and Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis & Clark College | 623 | $23,990,004 | $38,507 | 499 | $3,375,483 | $6,764 |
| Portland Community College | 1,293 | $8,853,502 | $6,847 | 455 | $2,322,819 | $5,105 |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences | 5 | $24,162 | $4,832 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Portland Actors Conservatory | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Multnomah University | 90 | $1,639,241 | $18,214 | 86 | $476,813 | $5,544 |
| Beau Monde Academy of Barbering and Cosmetology | 15 | $93,029 | $6,202 | 15 | $119,422 | $7,961 |
| Reed College | 215 | $9,958,089 | $46,317 | 184 | $1,332,309 | $7,241 |
| Carrington College-Portland | 120 | $558,685 | $4,656 | 123 | $897,333 | $7,295 |
| Aveda Institute-Portland | 11 | $63,084 | $5,735 | 14 | $134,145 | $9,582 |
| Mt Hood Community College | 467 | $3,439,273 | $7,365 | 161 | $954,792 | $5,930 |
| University of Western States | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Portland State University | 1,275 | $11,254,755 | $8,827 | 499 | $3,045,906 | $6,104 |
| Oregon Health & Science University | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| University of Portland | 809 | $27,891,271 | $34,476 | 397 | $3,408,946 | $8,587 |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art | 89 | $2,211,247 | $24,845 | 56 | $362,496 | $6,473 |
| National University of Natural Medicine | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Warner Pacific University | 45 | $657,850 | $14,619 | 27 | $152,500 | $5,648 |
| Concorde Career College-Portland | 237 | $1,132,985 | $4,781 | 280 | $2,679,172 | $9,568 |
| East West College of the Healing Arts | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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