Southern Oregon University
Ashland, OR 97520
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a public research university in Ashland, Oregon, serving roughly 2,751 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 88.62% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $49,175 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Southern Oregon University charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition ($12,762).
- Versus the Oregon median, sticker tuition is 6% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 42.53%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $49,175.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Southern Oregon University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 635% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Southern Oregon University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 59 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Oregon University | $12,762 | $16,732 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Oregon (state median) | $11,997 | $10,548 | 42 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Southern Oregon University really?
Key findings
- Southern Oregon University charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition ($12,762).
- Versus the Oregon median, sticker tuition is 6% above.
Southern Oregon University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,762
Finding Southern Oregon University charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,762. That is about 2.3× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Oregon median ($11,997), sticker tuition is 6% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 7% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Southern Oregon University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Southern Oregon University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Southern Oregon University is $16,732.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $16,732 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,184 above the Oregon median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $1,968 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Southern Oregon University, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Southern Oregon University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Southern Oregon University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$12,762
Out-of-state tuition
$31,887
Avg. net price
$16,732
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $11,830 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $12,466 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $15,813 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $22,415 |
| $110,001+ | $24,181 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $51,048. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Southern Oregon University is known for
Top program completions
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other875
- Business Administration and Management, General164
- Education, General102
- Psychology, General83
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels61
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 22% of admitted students enrolled.
- Midpoint ACT: 22
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Southern Oregon University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Southern Oregon University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Southern Oregon University.
Campus
Location
Ashland, OR
City / state
- ZIP
- 97520
- NCES locale
- Rural distant
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 11% below the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
2,751
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 5,516
- Graduate
- 878
- Full-time share
- 83%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$20,332
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 24.86%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Southern Oregon University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southern Oregon University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southern Oregon University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $7,438 | $19,900 | $13,551 |
| 2014 | $7,701 | $21,279 | $13,755 |
| 2015 | $8,145 | $22,365 | $15,392 |
| 2016 | $8,523 | $23,170 | $8,195 |
| 2017 | $9,287 | $24,630 | $9,164 |
| 2018 | $9,615 | $25,545 | $9,707 |
| 2019 | $10,479 | $26,814 | $10,386 |
| 2020 | $10,710 | $27,990 | $10,187 |
| 2021 | $11,142 | $28,962 | $9,931 |
| 2022 | $11,691 | $30,051 | $16,577 |
| 2023 | $12,093 | $30,723 | $16,470 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Midpoint 22 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southern Oregon University reported total enrollment of about 2,751 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 37% male and 63% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (53.3%), Race/ethnicity unknown (15.5%), and Hispanic or Latino (14.0%). About 24.86% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 40.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
82.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southern Oregon University in 2024 is 2,751 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,516 students. Graduate enrollment is about 878 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
67.8%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
20.94% 100% Completion Time
42.53% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 20.94% of students graduating from Southern Oregon University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other: 40% male / 60% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 45% male / 55% female
- Education, General: 13% male / 87% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Southern Oregon University graduates earn a median of $49,175 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Southern Oregon University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,175. Median federal loan debt: $20,332. Average net price used in cost models: $16,732.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Southern Oregon University graduates report median earnings of $49,175 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Southern Oregon University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (59 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Southern Oregon University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Southern Oregon University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Southern Oregon University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$36.1M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Oregon median 2.2× the median ($16.4M)
- Far West median 2.2× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($26.4M)
- Oregon median near the median ($9,495)
- Far West median 1.3× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 0.81× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 56.0%
- Oregon median 4.8 pp above median (51.2%)
- Far West median 10.4 pp above median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 1.9 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,721
- Oregon median 1.1× the median ($8,834)
- Far West median near the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,493
- Oregon median 1.1× the median ($9,832)
- Far West median 1.5× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Southern Oregon University at a glance
Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a public institution in Ashland, OR, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralEducation, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian53.3%Race/ethnicity unknown15.5%Hispanic or Latino14.0%
Schools near Southern Oregon University
Other campuses in Ashland, OR when available, plus nearby institutions in Oregon.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Oregon, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southern Oregon University located?
Southern Oregon University is located in Ashland, OR.
What is Southern Oregon University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Southern Oregon University is 88.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 3,564 applicants and 2,946 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Southern Oregon University's tuition?
Southern Oregon University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,762 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $16,732 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Southern Oregon University cost?
Reported tuition is $12,762 and average net price is $16,732 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $16,968 annually.
What explains Southern Oregon University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($16,732), completion (42.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($49,175). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Southern Oregon University?
Southern Oregon University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,516 students, White (53.3%), Race/ethnicity unknown (15.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southern Oregon University?
About 40.4% of students at Southern Oregon University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Southern Oregon University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Southern Oregon University reports midpoint ACT about 22.
What do graduates of Southern Oregon University earn?
Median earnings are $39,326 six years after entry and $49,175 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Oregon University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 42.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southern Oregon University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $20,332.
Is Southern Oregon University public or private?
Southern Oregon University is a public institution located in Ashland, OR.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.