Located on a bluff that overlooks the Willamette River on the outskirts of the city, the University of Portland may not feel like an urban campus, but it still offers all the same amenities.
The institution is best known for its nursing and engineering programs, though students can also major in subjects like music, arts administration, marketing and theology. When students aren't in class, they can participate in special-interest clubs focused on everything from swing dance to the card game Magic: The Gathering. The Portland Pilots compete in Division I, with the women's soccer and men's cross-country teams routinely attracting crowds. Another highlight is the Entrepreneur Scholars Program, which gives students the opportunity to meet with experts, check out apprenticeships and test real-world ventures.
Additionally, UP has a robust study abroad program with options on five continents — why not spend a semester in Australia, Spain, France or Japan? Graduates will be in good company: Alumni include soccer player Megan Rapinoe and actor Kunal Nayyar.
The University of Portland has an above-average six-year graduation rate of almost 84%, according to Money's calculations, and students earn about $77,000 a decade after enrolling.
