HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

University of Oregon vs Oregon State University

Oregon State University clears +$1.20M in 30-year net value, University of Oregon +$285K — both pay off, Oregon State University by +$918K.

Two Oregon public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

University of Oregon · Eugene, OR

30-year net value
+$285K
Total cost of attendance
$122,364
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$49,673
Breaks even by age
—

Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR

clears more

30-year net value
+$1.20M
Total cost of attendance
$114,276
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$58,666
Breaks even by age
50
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “University of Oregon vs Oregon State University: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/oregon-vs-oregon-state

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Questions

Is University of Oregon or Oregon State University a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, Oregon State University clears +$1.20M and University of Oregon +$285K — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; Oregon State University comes out ahead by +$918K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does Oregon State University pay off than University of Oregon?
About +$918K over a 30-year horizon (+$1.20M vs +$285K in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from University of Oregon?
+$285K at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $122,364, median earnings ten years out $49,673. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.