Southern Oregon University (SOU)
Public four-year university in Ashland, OR that costs an average of $20,998 a year after financial aid, admits 89% of applicants and graduates 43% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$20,998
Acceptance rate
89%
Graduation rate
43%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$54,657
PublicMidsize suburb2,751 undergraduates
Cost of SOU
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $32,229 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $13,298 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $33,314 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $18,863 |
| Books and supplies | $999 |
| Average net price after aid | $20,998 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $20,999 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $16,370 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $20,754 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $20,559 |
| $110,001+ | $27,062 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with SOU's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 89% |
|---|---|
| Test scores | Neither required nor recommended |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 43% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 68% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $43,653 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $54,657 |
| Rank in Oregon (earnings) | 18th of 22 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $20,356 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $231 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 27% |
| Students with federal loans | 26% |
Majors and programs at SOU
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (53)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | 25 | $60,528 | $29,934 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 23 | $49,410 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 135 | $49,407 | $22,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 67 | $48,120 | $22,032 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 18 | $45,548 | — |
| Education | 83 | $42,701 | $22,550 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 41 | $42,615 | $17,779 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 70 | $39,009 | $18,750 |
| English Language and Literature | 35 | $38,795 | $19,150 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 51 | $38,358 | $16,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 58 | $38,256 | $22,602 |
| Psychology | 159 | $36,329 | $20,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 39 | $36,160 | $17,189 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | $34,444 | — |
| Biology | 49 | $34,285 | $20,619 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 61 | $33,173 | $22,584 |
| History | 20 | $31,932 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 86 | $29,451 | $20,500 |
| Music | 21 | $24,121 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Anthropology | 1 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 3 | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | 20 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | — | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | — | — | — |
| Economics | 7 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 24 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | — | — |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | — | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | — |
| Human Services | — | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | 12 | — | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 2 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 34 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 22 | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 14 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 22 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Sociology | — | — | — |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 28 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (17)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 187 | $89,370 | $38,792 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 42 | $67,555 | $60,415 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 8 | $65,343 | — |
| Education | 106 | $61,799 | $34,586 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 69 | $56,783 | $39,500 |
| Applied Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 15 | — | — |
| Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | — | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Music | 9 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 12 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 8 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (37)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 16 | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 7 | — | — |
| Anthropology | — | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | — | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 15 | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 45 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 1 | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 5 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 7 | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 6 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 1 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 3 | — | — |
| Education | 11 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 36 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 4 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 27 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 12 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 10 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 2 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | — | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 7 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 1 | — | — |
| International Business | — | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | — | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 866 | — | — |
| Music | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 17 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 142 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 2 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 2 | — | — |
Similar colleges in Oregon
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Institute of Technology | Klamath Falls | $17,499 | 95% | $78,398 |
| Western Oregon University | Monmouth | $17,140 | 98% | $56,475 |
| Eastern Oregon University | La Grande | $15,665 | 98% | $53,987 |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland | — | — | $109,788 |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | Bend | $17,853 | 63% | $67,894 |
| Portland State University | Portland | $8,337 | 91% | $62,447 |
| University of Oregon | Eugene | $22,547 | 88% | $66,990 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis | $21,504 | 77% | $67,894 |
About SOU
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Ashland, OR |
| Setting | Midsize suburb |
| Undergraduates | 2,751 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 23 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Website | sou.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is SOU's acceptance rate?
Southern Oregon University admits 89% of applicants.
How much does SOU cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $32,229 a year (tuition and fees: $13,298 in-state, $33,314 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $20,998 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $20,999.
How much do SOU graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $54,657 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 18th of 22 similar colleges in Oregon. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer and information sciences ($60,528 a year after graduation).
What is SOU's graduation rate?
43% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 68% of first-year students return for a second year.