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Salem, Oregon

Turn Knowledge Into Action

47, 27, 61, 54, 56, 28, 27

Those are the four-year graduation rates at Oregon’s public universities. Spoiler alert: none of them beat Willamette’s. In fact, our four-year graduation puts us in the top 20% of colleges nationwide.

Here, graduating in four years isn’t a gamble.

It’s what we do.

While students at large public universities are still working on their bachelor’s, many of our graduates are already on the job, building careers, earning paychecks - and in some cases, they’ve already completed a master’s or professional degree.

And our secret sauce? It’s the personalized support, small classes, and a campus community that’s actually invested in you and your success.

Willamette University students at Commencement
A Willamette University student sits outside at Salem Campus on a spring day

Not Just For Graduate Students

At Willamette, research isn’t just for grad students. It’s for undergraduates too. From publishing papers to presenting at conferences, our students gain hands-on experience that sets them apart as they launch their careers or enter grad school. With a strong emphasis on fields like computer science, our commitment to research goes beyond the classroom, empowering students to solve real-world problems and make a lasting impact.

Willamette Undergraduate Students Are Using Research to Launch Careers

Meet Connor Everetts BS’26 whose research is paving the way for a better digital world. By developing methods to teach computer science to older adults, he’s ensuring that technology remains accessible to all, regardless of age.

Connor is making a real-world impact
Read Connor and Professor Agbo’s research
Connor Everetts presenting at the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSC) 2024 Northwestern Regional Conference
Connor Everetts
As a junior at Willamette, Connor gained hands-on research experience typically reserved for graduate students at larger state universities, proving that real-world impact starts early here.

You Don’t Need an Honors College When Your Entire University Is One

Honors colleges at large public universities try to mimic the small liberal arts experience. But they don’t quite measure up to the real thing. Too often, they require separate applications, extra fees, or come with limitations on academic flexibility.

At Willamette, we believe intellectual curiosity shouldn’t come with caveats. Every student here is part of a rigorous, supportive community with no additional applications and no added fees. Just a top-tier education that challenges and inspires.

State Schools Talk About Innovation

At Willamette, We Actually Deliver It

With more than 50 majors and the flexibility to combine them, you’ll have the freedom to explore multiple passions without restriction. And with retention rates higher than state schools, students stay here because they’re challenged, supported, and inspired.

Learn How We Prepare You for Your Future
Why You Should Choose Willamette
Willamette students in a classroom.
Willamette student studying in a classroom.

Learning and Leading since 1842

For almost 200 years, Willamette has helped students turn their knowledge into action — right here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.

heart of the pnw

Explore Willamette

Discover how you can turn knowledge into action through our undergraduate and graduate programs, or take a closer look at what it’s like to live and learn in the Pacific Northwest.
Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Learning in the Pacific Northwest