ºÚÁÏÍø

If you know nothing about ºÚÁÏÍø, this is a great place to start. In this post, we’ll cover some of the things people most often want to know about our school.

What type of college is ºÚÁÏÍø?

ºÚÁÏÍø is an accredited, private, nonprofit Christian liberal arts university in Newberg, Oregon. Founded in 1891, the school promises that students will Be Known spiritually, academically and professionally.

How many students go to ºÚÁÏÍø?

In the 2024-25 school year, there were 4,324 students enrolled at ºÚÁÏÍø, making it the largest private college in Oregon. This included 2,453 traditional undergraduate students, 1,566 graduate students, and 305 accelerated online degree students.

In the 2023-24 school year, 63% of students were women, and 37% of students were men. 53% of freshmen were from Oregon, and 47% were from out of state.

Is ºÚÁÏÍø a good school?

ºÚÁÏÍø is a great school, as measured by recognition from third-party sources:

• The Wall Street Journal ranked ºÚÁÏÍø as the #1 private college in Oregon in its 2023-24 rankings. 
• ºÚÁÏÍø was also classified as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report in 2024-25. This was the 37th time ºÚÁÏÍø made the magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges” list. 
• In addition, The Princeton Review listed ºÚÁÏÍø as a “Best Regional College” in its 2025 rankings, which considered academics, quality of life, admissions selectivity, and financial aid. This was the 20th consecutive year ºÚÁÏÍø appeared on Princeton’s Review’s list. 

What is ºÚÁÏÍø known for?

ºÚÁÏÍø is known for many things, but most important among them are:

• Commitment to being a Christ-centered institution
• Being a private, nonprofit college
• Small classes in which students can Be Known
• High quality of its programs, as recognized by third parties
• Graduate programs that advance our mission of outreach to underserved populations

What majors is ºÚÁÏÍø known for?

ºÚÁÏÍø is known best for its majors in business, engineering, nursing, education, biology, and the arts, although we offer over 60 different undergraduate programs across a variety of disciplines. Students can also choose an interdisciplinary major, allowing them to combine studies from two or three interests.

Additionally, more than one in eight ºÚÁÏÍø students enter college undeclared, and the vast majority of all college students change their major at least once – so breathe easy even if you’re not sure what to study! 

In addition, ºÚÁÏÍø offers graduate programs in theological studies, education, healthcare, behavioral health, and business.

How hard is it to get into ºÚÁÏÍø?

For traditional undergraduate students in 2023-24, the average high school GPA was 3.7 (on a 4.0 scale), and the acceptance rate for freshmen was 96%. Graduate programs are more competitive, but the application process varies by program.

Standardized tests are not required for undergraduate applications, and are only required for select graduate program applications. 

Does ºÚÁÏÍø offer athletic scholarships?

As an NCAA Division III school, ºÚÁÏÍø does not offer athletic scholarships, but there are a variety of other scholarships for traditional undergraduates to apply for! Many first-year and transfer students participate in ºÚÁÏÍø’s Scholarship Summit, and students can also apply for additional scholarships through ºÚÁÏÍø.

ºÚÁÏÍø’s athletics program offers 23 varsity sports and won the McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Is ºÚÁÏÍø conservative?

ºÚÁÏÍø has a diverse campus with a variety of political perspectives. Regardless of these differences, all staff and faculty members, as well as the majority of students, share a common faith in Jesus Christ. This faith shapes how they charitably discuss their differences of opinion.

One example of this is the ºÚÁÏÍø Civility Project, which grew out of concern about polarization and alienation in national, state, and local cultures. The project’s mission is to foster respect, listening, trust, and earnestness through discussion.

Who went to ºÚÁÏÍø?

Alumni from ºÚÁÏÍø have gone on to work at Nike, Providence Health & Services, Intel Corporation, Amazon, Kaiser Permanente, WE Communications, Disney, Boeing, DeLapp, KPMG, and more. Many alumni also return to ºÚÁÏÍø to work. Some alumni from ºÚÁÏÍø include:

• Christine Drazan, former minority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives and 2022 Republican nominee for governor of Oregon
• Robert F. Burt, American Navy officer and the 24th chief of chaplains of the United States Navy
• Ken Carter, who inspired the movie Coach Carter from his time as a high school basketball coach
• Pat Casey, College Baseball Hall of Fame coach (Oregon State and ºÚÁÏÍø)
• Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline
• Peggy Fowler, retired CEO of Portland General Electric

Looking for more?