Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, Oregon · Public · 98.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Eastern Oregon University posts a Below Benchmark ROI score of 43. The financial issue is the net-price-over-tuition gap: in-state tuition is $11,076 but average net price is $17,148, meaning fees, room, board, and indirect costs add about $6,072 per year on top of tuition. Four-year sticker totals $68,592 - higher than what most students expect from a public regional. Ten-year median earnings of $50,112 produce a 22 percent earnings premium, modest but real. Median debt of $20,500 yields a debt-to-earnings of 0.569 and 13.8-year payback. The drag on the score is completion (43 percent) and repayment (63.1 percent at three years, drifting down to 56.5 percent at five). EOU's rural location in La Grande and its hybrid distance-ed program serve a non-traditional, often older student body that struggles to finish on time. Enrollment is 2,172 and Pell rate is 34.8 percent. EOU is doing a real access mission for eastern Oregon and remote learners, but the ROI math is mediocre even at public-school prices.
How Eastern Oregon University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score43/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Eastern Oregon University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,076/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,431/yr |
| Average net price | $17,148/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $68,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,112 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,172 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $11,076/year ($25,431/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $17,148/year, or roughly $68,592 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $12,563/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,835/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,500, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,000) and comes to 0.57, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $12,563 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,150 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,208 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,566 |
| $110,001+ | $21,835 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,563 net per year, about $50,300 over four. Pell plus Oregon Opportunity Grant typically closes the gap meaningfully, leaving modest Direct loan borrowing. Note the inverted bracket: $30,001-$48,000 households pay LESS ($11,150) than under-$30K. This is unusual and may reflect institutional aid formulas optimized for slightly-higher-income students or sample-size effects.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001 to $75,000 pay $14,208 per year, about $56,800 over four. Manageable with federal Direct loans and family contribution. The bigger jump comes at $75,001-$110,000 ($22,566), suggesting the institutional aid drops sharply at moderate-middle income, which is unusual progression.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $21,835 - slightly less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket's $22,566. This is another small inverted pattern, likely sample-size noise. Four-year cost runs $87,300 for high-income families.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Eastern Oregon University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,066 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,279 | D |
| Teacher Education | $48,894 | C |
| Psychology | $47,816 | D |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $42,838 | F |
| Fire Protection | $58,911 | B |
| Social Sciences, Other | $49,611 | D |
| Education, Other | $51,176 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $56,013 | D |
| Biology | $35,435 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program with 104 graduates. One-year earnings of $43,804 climb to $59,066 by year four against $26,750 debt, yielding 0.611 ratio and C grade. Rural eastern Oregon and Boise-corridor employers hire from this pipeline; the online format also draws students into mid-Pacific Northwest business roles. The financial structure is sustainable but unremarkable.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 73 students with one-year earnings of $32,584 reaching $50,279 by year four, against $25,000 median debt - 0.767 ratio and D grade. Standard kinesiology trajectory: graduate-school prerequisites (PT, OT, PA) or pivot to fitness management.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 51 graduates with one-year earnings of $44,558 and four-year of $48,894 against $27,000 debt - 0.606 ratio and C grade. Oregon's rural school districts have chronic teacher shortages and absorb these graduates reliably. The earnings ceiling reflects Oregon's rural teacher pay scale; urban Portland district pay is higher but those slots are competitive.
Psychology
Psychology produces 49 graduates with one-year earnings of $27,698 and four-year of $47,816, against $25,000 debt - 0.903 ratio and D grade. Standard psych BA labor-market outcome. Graduate-school continuation is the only viable financial path; students without that plan face weak early-career returns.
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies produces 46 graduates with one-year earnings of $31,291 and four-year of $42,838. Critically, median debt is $37,568 - the highest on campus and well above other programs - yielding a 1.201 ratio and F grade. Debt in this program is high relative to its earnings. Students should pick a focused major instead.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Eastern Oregon University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 98.3% |
| Enrollment | 2,172 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,548 |
EOU admits 98.3 percent of applicants, effectively open admission. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported, consistent with test-optional and rolling-admit policies. The binding question for prospective students is not whether they'll get in but whether they'll finish. With a 43 percent completion rate, almost half the entering cohort never earns a degree, and the academic-prep distribution heavily determines who finishes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Oregon University (this school) | 43 | $17,148 | $50,112 |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | 83 | $15,706 | $72,273 |
| Oregon State University | 75 | $19,604 | $64,010 |
| Emporia State University | 44 | $16,261 | $47,601 |
| Fairmont State University | 43 | $9,032 | $46,857 |
| University of Maine at Presque Isle | 39 | $7,035 | $40,956 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Eastern Oregon University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
EOU fits rural eastern Oregon residents and online learners across the state who need a flexible four-year credential, especially in education and business. Enrollment of 2,172 includes a substantial distance-ed cohort; the 34.8 percent Pell rate signals real low-income enrollment. Strongest outcomes appear in Fire Protection ($58K), education ($44K, into rural Oregon district hiring), and business ($43K-$59K). Students should expect a low-key residential experience or pure online format; those wanting a traditional-college feel should look elsewhere.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Eastern Oregon University scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,148 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $50,112 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 13.8 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 43.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Eastern Oregon University: Common Questions
Is Eastern Oregon University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Eastern Oregon University scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,148 a year after aid against $50,112 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 13.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Eastern Oregon University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,148 a year, or roughly $68,592 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Eastern Oregon University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,112 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,312 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Eastern Oregon University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 13.8 years for Eastern Oregon University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Eastern Oregon University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,500, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Eastern Oregon University?
The six-year graduation rate is 43.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.