Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Associate Degrees in Oregon
13
Meet the Ranking Threshold
11
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$5,544
With a Fully Online Option
5
General Studies Associate Degrees in Oregon
General studies associate degrees in Oregon are where the state's whole ranking lives: all 11 ranked programs are two-year degrees at public community colleges, and the two bachelor's programs in the state, at the University of Portland and Warner Pacific University, sit below the threshold. Two more associate programs are below it.
Klamath Community College in Klamath Falls has the top score at 62.5, 87th in the national associate ranking, because it pairs the highest graduation rate among the 11, 43%, with $4,857 a year in resident tuition and fees, on 50 degrees a year and an online option. Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay is second at 48.4, graduating 40% at $6,840, also online. From there the list turns over to the big colleges: Portland Community College scores 44.5 on 911 degrees and an 18% graduation rate, Mt Hood Community College in Gresham 43.6 on 197 degrees and 24%, Lane Community College in Eugene 41.5 on 652 degrees and 20%, and Chemeketa Community College in Salem 37.5 on 208 degrees and 21%.
Tuition and fees across the ranked programs run from $4,575 at Clatsop Community College in Astoria, the lowest tuition in the state, to $6,941 at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. Graduation rates run from 43% at Klamath to 9% at Rogue Community College in Grants Pass, on 131 degrees a year. Umpqua graduates 31%, Blue Mountain 30%, and Columbia Gorge and Clatsop 29%. Five of the 11 can be finished online.
The 11 Best General Studies Associate Degrees in Oregon
The best general studies associate degrees in Oregon are ranked below by their national score, from the national associate degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Oregon. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Klamath Community College
Oregon
62.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 43%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,857 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 50
About the Program
Based in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Klamath Community College is a public community college with 1,834 students on its rolls. It conferred 50 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 39% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 43% graduation rate puts the college at the 74th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Expect tuition and fees of $4,857 a year as a resident and $7,809 otherwise. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Its strongest mark is the graduation rate of its college, at the 74th percentile.
2
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Oregon
48.4- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 40%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,840 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 39
About the Program
Coos Bay, Oregon is home to Southwestern Oregon Community College, a public community college of 1,551 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 39 associate's degrees, a count at the 31st percentile for size. Of the students who start at Southwestern Oregon Community College, 40% graduate, and that beats 65 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees hold at $6,840 a year whichever state you come from. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Its strongest mark is the graduation rate of its college, at the 65th percentile.
3
Portland Community College
Oregon
44.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 18%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 911
About the Program
Some 20,861 students attend Portland Community College, a public community college in Portland, Oregon. During the most recent year on record it awarded 911 associate's degrees, a count at the 95th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 18%, the 6th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $5,040 a year in state against $10,080 out of state, so on price it sits at the 60th percentile. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 95th percentile.
4
Mt Hood Community College
Oregon
43.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,175 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 197
About the Program
Some 6,476 students attend Mt Hood Community College, a public college in Gresham, Oregon. During the most recent year on record it awarded 197 associate's degrees, a count at the 75th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Mt Hood Community College, 24% graduate, and that beats 17 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $5,175 a year in state against $9,675 out of state, so on price it sits at the 57th percentile. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 75th percentile.
5
Lane Community College
Oregon
41.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 20%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,879 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 652
About the Program
Lane Community College is a public college in Eugene, Oregon that enrolls 6,810 students. Some 652 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 92% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Lane Community College, 20% graduate, and that beats 9 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees are $5,879 a year for residents and $12,485 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 49% of programs at this level. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 92nd percentile.
6
Clatsop Community College
Oregon
38.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 29%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,575 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 20
About the Program
Based in Astoria, Oregon, Clatsop Community College is a public community college with 754 students on its rolls. Some 20 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 16% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 29%, the 29th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $4,575 a year as a resident and $8,607 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 71st percentile.
7
Umpqua Community College
Oregon
37.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 31%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,909 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 31
About the Program
Some 2,582 students attend Umpqua Community College, a public community college in Roseburg, Oregon. During the most recent year on record it awarded 31 associate's degrees, a count at the 27th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 31%, the 37th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees hold at $5,909 a year whichever state you come from. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 48th percentile.
8
Chemeketa Community College
Oregon
37.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 21%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,210 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 208
About the Program
Based in Salem, Oregon, Chemeketa Community College is a public college with 8,098 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 208 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 77 in every 100 programs measured here. A 21% graduation rate puts the college at the 11th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $6,210 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $13,905. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 77th percentile.
9
Columbia Gorge Community College
Oregon
37.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 29%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,544 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 43
About the Program
Columbia Gorge Community College is a public community college in The Dalles, Oregon that enrolls 812 students. The program's last federal report shows 43 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 34 in every 100 programs measured here. A 29% graduation rate puts the college at the 29th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $5,544 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $10,080. On price it does best, reaching the 53rd percentile.
10
Rogue Community College
Oregon
33.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 9%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,184 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 131
About the Program
Rogue Community College is a public community college in Grants Pass, Oregon that enrolls 4,009 students. The program's last federal report shows 131 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 67 in every 100 programs measured here. Of the students who start at Rogue Community College, 9% graduate, and that beats 1 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees are $5,184 a year for residents and $6,192 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 57% of programs at this level. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 67th percentile.
11
Blue Mountain Community College
Oregon
32.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,941 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 31
About the Program
Blue Mountain Community College is a public community college in Pendleton, Oregon that enrolls 1,407 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 31 associate's degrees, a count at the 27th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Blue Mountain Community College, 30% graduate, and that beats 33 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Residents pay $6,941 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $9,551. Its strongest mark is price, at the 36th percentile.
Other General Studies Associate Degrees in Oregon
The other general studies associate degrees in Oregon awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Coast Community College, Newport | 5 | 36% | $5,400 |
| Warner Pacific University, Portland | 1 | 49% | $21,010 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Associate Degree Cost in Oregon?
A general studies associate degree in Oregon costs a median of $5,544 a year in resident tuition and required fees for 2023-24, which is Columbia Gorge Community College's figure, and the 11 ranked community colleges run from $4,575 at Clatsop to $6,941 at Blue Mountain. Oregon Coast Community College, below the threshold, lists $5,400, and Warner Pacific University's private associate degree, also below it, $21,010. Non-resident pricing is where the colleges diverge: Southwestern Oregon, Umpqua and Oregon Coast charge non-residents the resident rate and Rogue charges $6,192, while Chemeketa charges $13,905 and Lane $12,485.
The state grant for a community college student is the Oregon Opportunity Grant, Oregon's largest state-funded, need-based grant program for college students. Its part-time rule is the one to know: awards are adjusted in proportion to the number of credits a student is taking if they are enrolled in less than 12 credits, so a six-credit term brings half the full award rather than nothing. Because the grant is need-based, the amount depends on your family finances as well as your credit load, and the college's aid office can tell you what a full award is worth against its $4,575 to $6,941.
Will a General Studies Associate Degree Transfer in Oregon?
A general studies associate degree transfers in Oregon as a block only if it's built on one of the state's transfer structures, so ask your college which one the degree completes. The largest is the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer, which clears lower-division general education at every Oregon public university. Below it is the Oregon Transfer Module, a 45-credit subset of general education courses that all count as a transferable block toward a university's core bachelor's degree requirements. Smallest is a Core Transfer Map of at least 30 credits: if you complete the full set courses at an Oregon community college and meet public university admissions requirements, you are guaranteed the courses will transfer as a block to any Oregon public university.
Single courses are protected too: for CCN-approved courses, all Oregon community colleges and public universities are required to accept a transfer of academic credit for each course as if the credit was earned identically at the accepting institution. Complete a Major Transfer Map and you are guaranteed transfer to the participating Oregon four-year public university with junior standing, and your coursework will count toward a bachelor's degree in that specific major.
Oregon also recognizes reverse transfer, the practice of retroactively awarding an associate degree to students who complete the required credits for a degree following transfer to a university or four-year college.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Associate Degree Pay in Oregon?
Jobs open to a general studies associate degree in Oregon pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Associate Degree Program in Oregon
The way to choose a general studies associate degree program in Oregon is to decide how much a small college is worth to you, because in this state the small programs finish students and the large ones don't. Klamath, with 50 degrees a year, graduates 43% and Southwestern Oregon, with 39, graduates 40%, while Portland, Lane, Chemeketa and Mt Hood, which award 197 to 911 degrees, graduate 18% to 24%. Rogue is the exception, mid-sized at 131 degrees with a 9% graduation rate. Cost won't settle it, since every ranked college charges between $4,575 and $6,941, though non-residents pay the resident rate at Southwestern Oregon and Umpqua and $13,905 at Chemeketa.
Five ranked programs are online, Klamath, Southwestern Oregon, Portland, Lane and Chemeketa, and the two with the highest graduation rates are among them. If you plan to continue to a bachelor's, ask whether the degree is built as an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer, which satisfies the lower division general education requirements of baccalaureate degrees at the public universities in Oregon, or whether it at least completes a Core Transfer Map, and ask which Major Transfer Maps the college offers for the bachelor's you have in mind.
If you plan to finish a bachelor's in the state, the general studies bachelor's degrees in Oregon have their own page.