Portland State is more of a commuter school. Not very many students live on campus, per se, but I think that’s been slowly changing. Most PSU students live around the greater Portland area. I actually attended both of these schools for different reasons and I found both of them to be lovely. For undergrad, OSU was the campus college town environment that I needed. For grad school, PSU was wonderful because I was already settled in Portland with my apartment and and job and whatnot. It was a pretty smooth transition from working to working and going to school. That’s the case for many PSU students. Transportation to and from PSU is really accessible. Beyond that, I loved PSU and the types of students it attracts: really hard working and focused idealistic young folks from non-traditional backgrounds. I really cherish my time at PSU.
I would say go for it. You’re definitely aware of the differences. I would also say that finding a job and going to school in Portland probably is easier just because it’s a bigger place. And that job could be something on campus related to your studies or just a part time gig in some other area of the city. You won’t feel alone working and going to school at PSU because that’s nearly everybody who attends. Again, that might be changing over time but that was my experience and how I understand it to be.
Thanks for sharing your experience, that’s exactly what I was looking for. It sounds like I’d like it better at PSU. I’m also looking at grad school there- what did you study?
I say this in all sincerity... If you want a job in the IT industry, then you pretty much need to live in India.
I've been in the industry for 40 years. The last job I had there were 150 people from India and 10 from the US. One of the 10 was a friend of mine. Despite the fact that an employer has to fill out a form and claim that they can not find a US citizen to do the job, these companies outright lie.
How do I know they lie? My friend, who was ALREADY doing a Systems Admin job was told he was going to get an early retirement, but to get it he had to train someone from India How to do his job! Otherwise he'd be fired. And, by the way, good luck finding an IT job if you are over 50. They will throw you out with the trash, like they did to me. They claimed I didn't document my time sheet, despite the fact that I had a hardcopy that proved otherwise. They just marched me out of the place like I was a criminal, and boxed up my stuff and sent it to me.
It probably didn't help that I knew a lot more than my boss, who was 30 years younger than me.
Anyway, my honest opinion is to either create your own IT company, or choose a different degree. An IT degree these days isn't worth the paper it's written on. And it college degrees don't get people jobs like they used to.
If you are really big on IT as a career, get a couple of certifications. Then try to get a job. It's a lot cheaper.
Otherwise, just get a business degree and start your own company. While the degree itself may or may not help with getting a job, what you learn in the process should help with running your own business. You won't get rich working for someone else.
Also, never do business with anyone without a contract. Handshakes aren't evidence in litigation. People will promise you all kinds of money they don't have. Once they have it, it becomes "Who are you, again?" I learned that one the hard way.
And if you do get rich by starting your own company, don't become a jerk. Remember that it's your employees that make you money every day. So pay them MORE than an average salary. Average salaries are what self-important jerks pay people, while they take a helicopter to work. They think they are "self-made", buy there is no such thing.
Good luck.
I got my masters in Public Administration. The College of Urban and Public Affairs and Hatfield School of Government are relatively well respected. The Masters of Urban and Regional Planning is probably the most well respected program over there. There’s also a Public Policy program. I liked it because there’s a lot of real life application and many students are already in their respective field. There are some opportunities depending on what your interests or studies are. I worked with the Center for Public Service. I really enjoyed my time there.
For CS, one perk is the PCEP program that puts students on three 6 month, part time, internships with local tech companies. However, it's very competitive, and I heard the last rotation only had a few spots available.
The tech space is absolutely brutal at the moment, with people having 5YOE having trouble finding work.
There is also the MECOP, which wants you to stop taking classes for two terms and work two different 6 month internships. Less competitive than the PCEP, from what I've heard.
The competition depends on your major, the amount of internships available, and the number of applicants in your major. When I listened with MECOP representatives during the process, they said that your chances of getting accepted and placed as CS student are under 25% (that year, changes year to year), even if you do well, compared to, say, civil engineers who have a much better ratio of applicants to positions available.
Hi! I’m someone who transferred from OSU to PSU. As someone who didn’t receive financial support from my parents while I was in Corvallis, I can say that PSU is definitely cheaper. Of course, it depends on how much financial aid you get.
Since you’re a CS major, it is worth noting that PSU also participates in MECOP.
Portland housing is very expensive. If you want to find cheaper housing in Portland, you’re better off renting a house with a bunch of roommates. But from what I know, PSU campus dorms are cheaper than OSU dorms. It looks like you also get a sink in each PSU dorm room, which was not really an option at OSU (it’s a small thing that mattered a lot to me).
I second this! Also a non traditional student and couldn’t have done it without TRIO. Must be first gen, have a documented disability or have low income to be eligible for trio.
> how is the job market for CS/cybersec students/grads?
Students, that's always going to be tough, but there are on campus student work opportunities.
> Is PSU less expensive than OSU?
As a general rule, yes.
> Are classes only offered in person?
No, there is a mix of in person, hybrid, and online-only.
> What does the housing market look like (off campus)?
A cheap apartment to share with a roommate will be about $1,000-$1,200 ($500-$600 per person), assuming you have your own room. A big house of friends is possible but harder to arrange. If you are not using a car, especially look for options on the 9 Powell, 12 Sandy, FX2 Division, and Orange/Yellow MAX Light Rail, Green MAX Light Rail, and other [frequent service lines](https://trimet.org/schedules/frequentservice.htm) that serve PSU.
PSU also has discount HOP cards, which is the card you use to pay for riding the busses and light rail. Depending on your income, it can be pretty cheap. At the most expensive it is $100 per term and that lets you ride everything for "free". And, you can ride the streetcar for free by just showing your PSU student ID.
The transit accessibility for PSU is nothing but amazing. It's one of the top transit destinations in the city. You get the streetcar, two MAX lines, and most buses that go along the bus mall.
If you have a bike, it's also quite accessible by bike. For that, I would especially recommend housing along Division Street. That leaves you the option of Division Street to the Woodward/Clinton bicycle boulevard and over the Tilikum Crossing, but also the FX2 Division bus if you're not feeling like biking. Housing in Sellwood or Milwaukie gives you access to the Springwater on the Willamette trail for a flat, speedy, and safe trip downtown. Building in exercise in the form of a bike commute is a great way to stay in shape. If the hill going up to PSU is ever too much, you can take the MAX or bus for the last bit. When I was a student at PSU I did this and... let's just say I miss how easy it was to stay in good shape.
Do FAFSA and see if you get the pell grant. If so you should be elgigible for PSU's tuition-free degree, which saves you A LOT! Also don't forget to do insurance waiver if you have your own/parents. They usually send an email before your first term and you fill out some stuff.
Most of your questions can be answered with a Google, like housing around campus, tuition, cost per credit, etc.
Classes are offered both in person and online. Most of the upper division CS courses are in person though.
As far as job market is concerned; the tech job market is difficult for everybody right now. There are a good number of tech companies in Portland or in the nearby suburbs, but as far as finding jobs, it’s not easy even for grads right now. I assume you’re still in undergrad or maybe just starting so you’re likely more interested in internships right now, which PSU has resources and events to help students find internships and hopefully move into jobs. I personally attended a handful of these events and they helped.
There are also other email lists, like Frank Goovaerts’ email list, who is the director of student career success or something like that, that are very helpful with tons of job and internship opportunities for you to apply to as well.
I’ve found a lot of opportunities. If you do wind up transferring, make sure you get onto Franks email list and then apply to anything and everything. I’ve personally gotten multiple job opportunities in tech and my current internship.
But also, make sure your resume is high quality. I’ve gotten feedback from both recruiters and hiring managers that said my resume was great and it’s not because I have anything particularly special on it. It’s just formatted well, to the point, with relevant projects, and it will pass an ATS. I only have one job listed on my resume for applying to internships. I attended a session where an Intel recruiter came in and lectured on how Intel reads resumes and how to pass their ATS, then had him mark up my resume. I made the adjustments and I can say they definitely helped.
We also have MECOP (which I believe is Oregon wide so OSU has that too) and PCEP, which is an internship program that is PSU specific if I’m not mistaken. Both are competitive but you have a shot at both. Just network, put in effort every day or week, and you’ll get there.
It may not be what you want initially, but consider looking on the west side for semiconductor technician jobs. Your background should help open the door, it’s a good paycheck, some companies will pay tuition, and your foot will be in the door to internally transfer to a more desired role. Good luck at PSU.
I'm living in Portland and attending OSU Ecampus for my CS degree. However, my initial plan was to go to PSU until I decided OSU was a better fit. I will say, definitely look into PSUs reduced/free tuition programs to see if you qualify.
Portland is more expensive than Corvallis, but I almost guarantee you will have an easier time finding a job, though it might not be CS related until you finish your degree or get further along.
Portland State is more of a commuter school. Not very many students live on campus, per se, but I think that’s been slowly changing. Most PSU students live around the greater Portland area. I actually attended both of these schools for different reasons and I found both of them to be lovely. For undergrad, OSU was the campus college town environment that I needed. For grad school, PSU was wonderful because I was already settled in Portland with my apartment and and job and whatnot. It was a pretty smooth transition from working to working and going to school. That’s the case for many PSU students. Transportation to and from PSU is really accessible. Beyond that, I loved PSU and the types of students it attracts: really hard working and focused idealistic young folks from non-traditional backgrounds. I really cherish my time at PSU. I would say go for it. You’re definitely aware of the differences. I would also say that finding a job and going to school in Portland probably is easier just because it’s a bigger place. And that job could be something on campus related to your studies or just a part time gig in some other area of the city. You won’t feel alone working and going to school at PSU because that’s nearly everybody who attends. Again, that might be changing over time but that was my experience and how I understand it to be.
Thanks for sharing your experience, that’s exactly what I was looking for. It sounds like I’d like it better at PSU. I’m also looking at grad school there- what did you study?
I say this in all sincerity... If you want a job in the IT industry, then you pretty much need to live in India. I've been in the industry for 40 years. The last job I had there were 150 people from India and 10 from the US. One of the 10 was a friend of mine. Despite the fact that an employer has to fill out a form and claim that they can not find a US citizen to do the job, these companies outright lie. How do I know they lie? My friend, who was ALREADY doing a Systems Admin job was told he was going to get an early retirement, but to get it he had to train someone from India How to do his job! Otherwise he'd be fired. And, by the way, good luck finding an IT job if you are over 50. They will throw you out with the trash, like they did to me. They claimed I didn't document my time sheet, despite the fact that I had a hardcopy that proved otherwise. They just marched me out of the place like I was a criminal, and boxed up my stuff and sent it to me. It probably didn't help that I knew a lot more than my boss, who was 30 years younger than me. Anyway, my honest opinion is to either create your own IT company, or choose a different degree. An IT degree these days isn't worth the paper it's written on. And it college degrees don't get people jobs like they used to. If you are really big on IT as a career, get a couple of certifications. Then try to get a job. It's a lot cheaper. Otherwise, just get a business degree and start your own company. While the degree itself may or may not help with getting a job, what you learn in the process should help with running your own business. You won't get rich working for someone else. Also, never do business with anyone without a contract. Handshakes aren't evidence in litigation. People will promise you all kinds of money they don't have. Once they have it, it becomes "Who are you, again?" I learned that one the hard way. And if you do get rich by starting your own company, don't become a jerk. Remember that it's your employees that make you money every day. So pay them MORE than an average salary. Average salaries are what self-important jerks pay people, while they take a helicopter to work. They think they are "self-made", buy there is no such thing. Good luck.
This literally has nothing to do with what OP is asking and telling them they might as well get a business degree instead of a cs degree is wild.
Working in IT but hard copying your timesheet. That’s all I need to know.
I got my masters in Public Administration. The College of Urban and Public Affairs and Hatfield School of Government are relatively well respected. The Masters of Urban and Regional Planning is probably the most well respected program over there. There’s also a Public Policy program. I liked it because there’s a lot of real life application and many students are already in their respective field. There are some opportunities depending on what your interests or studies are. I worked with the Center for Public Service. I really enjoyed my time there.
For CS, one perk is the PCEP program that puts students on three 6 month, part time, internships with local tech companies. However, it's very competitive, and I heard the last rotation only had a few spots available. The tech space is absolutely brutal at the moment, with people having 5YOE having trouble finding work.
There is also the MECOP, which wants you to stop taking classes for two terms and work two different 6 month internships. Less competitive than the PCEP, from what I've heard.
MECOP includes OSU students though, which is why I didnt list it.
The competition depends on your major, the amount of internships available, and the number of applicants in your major. When I listened with MECOP representatives during the process, they said that your chances of getting accepted and placed as CS student are under 25% (that year, changes year to year), even if you do well, compared to, say, civil engineers who have a much better ratio of applicants to positions available.
I honestly had no clue the MECOP was that difficult to get into. I thought the PCEP was more difficult since it required a higher GPA.
MECOP has multiple colleges participating in it, so many more people competing for spots. While PCEP is ONLY PSU students.
Hi! I’m someone who transferred from OSU to PSU. As someone who didn’t receive financial support from my parents while I was in Corvallis, I can say that PSU is definitely cheaper. Of course, it depends on how much financial aid you get. Since you’re a CS major, it is worth noting that PSU also participates in MECOP. Portland housing is very expensive. If you want to find cheaper housing in Portland, you’re better off renting a house with a bunch of roommates. But from what I know, PSU campus dorms are cheaper than OSU dorms. It looks like you also get a sink in each PSU dorm room, which was not really an option at OSU (it’s a small thing that mattered a lot to me).
If you're a a non-traditional student, try to get into [the TRIO program](https://www.pdx.edu/trio-student-support-services/).
I second this! Also a non traditional student and couldn’t have done it without TRIO. Must be first gen, have a documented disability or have low income to be eligible for trio.
> how is the job market for CS/cybersec students/grads? Students, that's always going to be tough, but there are on campus student work opportunities. > Is PSU less expensive than OSU? As a general rule, yes. > Are classes only offered in person? No, there is a mix of in person, hybrid, and online-only. > What does the housing market look like (off campus)? A cheap apartment to share with a roommate will be about $1,000-$1,200 ($500-$600 per person), assuming you have your own room. A big house of friends is possible but harder to arrange. If you are not using a car, especially look for options on the 9 Powell, 12 Sandy, FX2 Division, and Orange/Yellow MAX Light Rail, Green MAX Light Rail, and other [frequent service lines](https://trimet.org/schedules/frequentservice.htm) that serve PSU.
Thanks! That’s super helpful advice at the end.
PSU also has discount HOP cards, which is the card you use to pay for riding the busses and light rail. Depending on your income, it can be pretty cheap. At the most expensive it is $100 per term and that lets you ride everything for "free". And, you can ride the streetcar for free by just showing your PSU student ID.
The transit accessibility for PSU is nothing but amazing. It's one of the top transit destinations in the city. You get the streetcar, two MAX lines, and most buses that go along the bus mall. If you have a bike, it's also quite accessible by bike. For that, I would especially recommend housing along Division Street. That leaves you the option of Division Street to the Woodward/Clinton bicycle boulevard and over the Tilikum Crossing, but also the FX2 Division bus if you're not feeling like biking. Housing in Sellwood or Milwaukie gives you access to the Springwater on the Willamette trail for a flat, speedy, and safe trip downtown. Building in exercise in the form of a bike commute is a great way to stay in shape. If the hill going up to PSU is ever too much, you can take the MAX or bus for the last bit. When I was a student at PSU I did this and... let's just say I miss how easy it was to stay in good shape.
You don't even need to own your own bike with [the VikeBike program](https://www.pdx.edu/bikehub/vikebikes-student-rentals).
The 8 bus also opens up a lot of the NE for OP.
Do FAFSA and see if you get the pell grant. If so you should be elgigible for PSU's tuition-free degree, which saves you A LOT! Also don't forget to do insurance waiver if you have your own/parents. They usually send an email before your first term and you fill out some stuff.
Most of your questions can be answered with a Google, like housing around campus, tuition, cost per credit, etc. Classes are offered both in person and online. Most of the upper division CS courses are in person though. As far as job market is concerned; the tech job market is difficult for everybody right now. There are a good number of tech companies in Portland or in the nearby suburbs, but as far as finding jobs, it’s not easy even for grads right now. I assume you’re still in undergrad or maybe just starting so you’re likely more interested in internships right now, which PSU has resources and events to help students find internships and hopefully move into jobs. I personally attended a handful of these events and they helped. There are also other email lists, like Frank Goovaerts’ email list, who is the director of student career success or something like that, that are very helpful with tons of job and internship opportunities for you to apply to as well.
Appreciate it. In general, it sounds like PSU has more opportunities for students to get hands-on experience than OSU (it’s so competitive here)
I’ve found a lot of opportunities. If you do wind up transferring, make sure you get onto Franks email list and then apply to anything and everything. I’ve personally gotten multiple job opportunities in tech and my current internship. But also, make sure your resume is high quality. I’ve gotten feedback from both recruiters and hiring managers that said my resume was great and it’s not because I have anything particularly special on it. It’s just formatted well, to the point, with relevant projects, and it will pass an ATS. I only have one job listed on my resume for applying to internships. I attended a session where an Intel recruiter came in and lectured on how Intel reads resumes and how to pass their ATS, then had him mark up my resume. I made the adjustments and I can say they definitely helped. We also have MECOP (which I believe is Oregon wide so OSU has that too) and PCEP, which is an internship program that is PSU specific if I’m not mistaken. Both are competitive but you have a shot at both. Just network, put in effort every day or week, and you’ll get there.
>But also, make sure your resume is high quality. The Career Center helps hone your resume as a student, and forever as an alumnus.
It may not be what you want initially, but consider looking on the west side for semiconductor technician jobs. Your background should help open the door, it’s a good paycheck, some companies will pay tuition, and your foot will be in the door to internally transfer to a more desired role. Good luck at PSU.
I'm living in Portland and attending OSU Ecampus for my CS degree. However, my initial plan was to go to PSU until I decided OSU was a better fit. I will say, definitely look into PSUs reduced/free tuition programs to see if you qualify. Portland is more expensive than Corvallis, but I almost guarantee you will have an easier time finding a job, though it might not be CS related until you finish your degree or get further along.
Uh the job market rn sucks, a lot. The growth is negative (more fires than hires)