Southern Oregon University

Southern Oregon University's program mix is anchored in business, education, and applied professional fields—a portfolio reflecting the institution's regional public university identity. Business Administration is the largest program with 110 graduates, followed by Psychology, General, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, and Communication and Media Studies.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 712 students annually, several deliver solid four-year earnings outcomes aligned with regional labor-market demand. The earnings pattern reflects Southern Oregon University's strength in applied business and professional-practice fields.

Business Administration leads with median earnings of $65,171 four years after enrollment, followed by Biology, General at $63,008, Criminal Justice at $59,008, and Teacher Education at $53,584. These programs represent the institution's highest-earning pathways and reflect direct-to-workforce outcomes in fields where regional employers actively recruit.

The program-mix signature—with Business representing 16% of graduates, Arts at 10%, and Education at 9%—positions Southern Oregon University as a regional institution focused on career-ready preparation. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with Pacific Northwest labor-market trends and regional employer needs.

Southern Oregon University's published cost of attendance is $27,636. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $11,830, middle-income families pay around $15,813, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,181.

Azimuth ranks Southern Oregon University #410 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Southern Oregon's aid structure combines federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA, and need-based aid forms the primary component of aid packages.

The difference between published cost and net price reflects the institution's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels, though the specific aid available to individual students depends on demonstrated financial need and eligibility. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,332, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $21,279; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $52,911, median federal debt of $20,332 projects to a monthly payment of about $230 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Southern Oregon University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,911, placing Southern Oregon University in the 12.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,268 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southern Oregon University in the 39.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Southern Oregon University #1109 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to OR's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $33,492 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential).

The earnings pattern reflects Southern Oregon University's concentration in business and applied fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 110 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $65,171, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field.

Psychology, General enrolls 102 students and delivers median 4-year earnings of $48,217, while Radio, Television, and Digital Communication and Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft round out the largest cohorts. Among higher-earning programs, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $38,487 at 1.0x the national benchmark, and Communication and Media Studies reaches $49,511 at 0.9x benchmark — demonstrating solid early-career payoff across the institution's applied program portfolio.