Oregon Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

The information found below is designed as a guide to help future teachers find educator preparation programs in Oregon. In order to be eligible to teach in the state, teachers must complete a state-approved program at an accredited school. Fortunately, there are several colleges and universities that offer such degree programs. Check our lists of top-rated teaching programs, table of accredited, state-approved preparation programs, and student reviews to better understand your options. This guide is a good place to find the right program, whether you are fresh out of college or an experienced teacher looking to advance your career.

Table of Contents

• Teacher Preparation Program Comparison
• Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs
• Select Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees
• Schools with Associate Degrees in Education
• Student Reviews

Quick Facts

• There are 31 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Oregon.¹
• 14 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.¹
• 15 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in education.¹
• 15 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.¹
• No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2022.²
• 2 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2023.³
• 3 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2022.⁴
• 6 educator preparation providers (EPPs) are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.⁵
• 6 educator preparation providers (EPPs) are accredited by the AAQEP.⁶

For not-for-profit schools with teacher degree programs.

Comparison of Oregon Schools with Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in
Oregon according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) State School Board for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution, for both traditional and alternative programs, for the 2019-2020 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education reports under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality. Traditional teacher preparation programs are usually completed as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Alternative certification programs are typically designed for career changers looking to enter the field and lead to a postgraduate certificate or a master’s degree. Many schools in our table offer both traditional and alternative programs. Take a look at our Oregon traditional and alternative certification guides for more information.

Finally, we have provided the net price per year for undergraduate tuition, based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

• — indicates none or not applicable.
• N.Av. indicates data was not available or pass rates were omitted for confidentiality.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in North Dakota

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2023

• University of Oregon (#14 tie)
• Oregon State University (#138 tie)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2022

• Portland State University (#60 tie)
• Eastern Oregon University (#162 tie)
• Southern Oregon University (#242-321)

Select Oregon Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees

Oregon State University

With its main campus in Corvallis, Oregon State University’s (OSU) College of Education offers both undergraduate degrees for those starting their education career and graduate degrees for those looking to continue their path. Undergraduate students can obtain a Bachelor of Speech (BS) in Elementary Education or a double degree that combines the BS with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in a chosen academic field. Undergrad students can also receive a Minor in Education while pursuing another degree, or join a hybrid program that also leads to a BS, the Clinically Based Elementary Education (BS-CBEE) program. At the graduate level, students can choose between a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Adult and Higher Education; a Master of Science (MS) in Education (Science or Math); or a Master of Teaching (MAT) in Teaching (Elementary, Secondary, or hybrid Clinically Based Elementary). Finally, OSU offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education and certificates in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Instructional Design.

University of Oregon

The University of Oregon’s (UO) College of Education offers multiple options for students looking to become educators. For undergraduate students, the options include a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Speech (BS) in the UO Educational Foundations Program. This program sets students up for licensure through the UOTeach Curriculum and Teaching program, a one-year additional program that grants both licensure and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a specialty in Elementary Multiple Subjects or Middle-High School Dual Subject. OSU also offers a Master of Science (MS) in Curriculum and Teacher Education and multiple master’s degree options in Special Education. Those more interested in research can get a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education or Quantitative Research Methods, while those interested in administrative roles have several choices that include graduate degrees in Education Policy, Educational Leadership, and licensure for administrators.

Schools with Associate Degrees in Education

While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational level required to qualify for state certification, an associate’s degree can be the first step towards a career in education. It can qualify graduates for careers in non-licensed roles in early childhood education, after-school care, and related areas. The credits earned from an accredited associate degree program can also typically be transferred towards a bachelor’s degree. The following Alabama schools offer associate’s degrees in education.¹ Schools with an asterisk (*) also offer four-year teaching programs and/or alternative route to certification programs.

Blue Mountain Community College
2411 NW Carden Ave
Pendleton, OR 97801
(541) 276-1260
www.bluecc.edu

Central Oregon Community College
2600 NW College Way
Bend, OR 97703
(541) 383-7700
www.cocc.edu

Chemeketa Community College
4000 Lancaster Dr NE
Salem, OR 97305
(503) 399-5000
www.chemeketa.edu

Columbia Gorge Community College
400 E Scenic Dr
The Dalles, OR 97058
(541) 506-6113
www.cgcc.edu

Corban University*
5000 Deer Park Dr SE
Salem, OR 97317
(800) 845-3005
www.corban.edu

Eastern Oregon University*
1 University Blvd
La Grande, OR 97850
(541) 962-3672
www.eou.edu

Klamath Community College
7390 S 6th St
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
(541) 882-3521
www.klamathcc.edu

Linn-Benton Community College
6500 Pacific Blvd SW
Albany, OR 97321
(541) 917-4999
www.linnbenton.edu

Mt Hood Community College
26000 SE Stark St
Gresham, OR 97030
(503) 491-6422
www.mhcc.edu

Pacific Bible College
28 S Fir St Suite 212
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 776-9942
www.pacificbible.edu

Portland Community College
12000 SW 49th Ave
Portland, OR 97219
(972) 722-6111
www.pcc.edu

Rogue Community College
3345 Redwood Hwy
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(541) 956-7500
www.roguecc.edu

Southwestern Oregon Community College
1988 Newmark Ave
Coos Bay, OR 97420
(541) 888-2525
www.socc.edu

Treasure Valley Community College
650 College Blvd
Ontario, OR 97914
(541) 881-8822
www.tvcc.cc

Student Reviews

Portland Community College*
12000 SW 49th Ave
Portland, OR 97219
(972) 722-6111
https://www.pcc.edu/

Student Review: “I have had a great experience with Portland Community College. I enrolled in my classes before I’d moved here and had tons of help from the financial aid office. I’ve attended PCC three terms now. I’ve always been able to get the class or teacher that I wanted. If you carefully select your professors you’ll get great ones. There’s also an exorbitant amount of help with classwork offered in the Tutoring Center. All of my professors have also been able to help me via office hours. I’ve had several students who have transferred to university tell me to get all I can out of the resources PCC has to offer because once you get to the university everything gets very impersonal. I’ve never had a teacher there who didn’t know my name at the end of the term. PCC also has a great scholarship application program; once a year students fill out one application that applies to hundreds of local scholarships. I’ve never gotten one but I know people that have. The streamlined scholarship process makes it much easier to apply for the aid a student needs.” -Cora S., student at Portland Community College

Student Review: “I was taking general studies to get pre-requisites out of the way to apply for a degree. Since I have two children, the online classes were my best option at the time. The online classes though were sometimes hard to navigate and the options for the classes weren’t as substantial as the campus offerings. Since I didn’t have the required credits, I typically had to apply later for classes than others, and by then there wasn’t much left. I had to take classes that I had not much interest in, since the availability could be difficult. Even for these classes, I would have to be put on a waiting list. For what people pay for college, It would be nice to have better customer service, and not be considered to be “replaceable.” I think that people that attend college should not be considered to be a “dime a dozen”, which is truly the case. Though colleges have an overload of students, it would be nice to be given some consideration. Overall, this college is mediocre. I will not be attending again.” -Leanne G., student at Portland Community College

Portland State University
1825 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 725-3000
https://www.pdx.edu/

Student Review: “While I was a student at PSU, I didn’t feel like the program was preparing me. However, now that I am a teacher, in the classroom, I realize they actually did a great job. I appreciate the classes on diversity and different learning styles. I had a number of great professors who helped me develop my own teaching style. The best thing about Portland State was the cohort system. To this day I rely on the people I met in my cohort when I need to get feedback or new teaching ideas. The best teacher was Ken Peterson and his classroom management class. The longer I teach, the more I go back to what he taught us.” -Student at Portland State University

Student Review: “Portland State is right in the center of downtown Portland. Because of that, the stated goal of working with the community really happens there. Many of the professors stay in contact with local businesses and invite influential guests for presentations. Portland State works with many government agencies, so a student can gain a good understanding of the government community as well as the business community. At least in my department, there could be a bit more coordination between professors subject matter and, specifically, software. At times it was not clear whether we were intended to learn the subject or just the software. Portland State is a low-pressure university. There was not much competition to be the best. Most students were interested in learning but were not under the illusion that to win, others had to fail. Perhaps a bit more communication amongst the professors and tougher grading would help Portland State’s academic reputation. As an interface between government, business, and even the nearby research hospital, Portland State is in an enviable position.” -Brian M., student at Portland State University

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2022 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2021.
3. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2023: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2022: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP): https://aaqep.org/accredited-programs
7. US Department of Education 2021 Title II Report: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx