Best Online Psychology Programs in Portland, OR (2026)

Portland, Oregon has a population of about 642,715. The city’s median household income is $88,792 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited psychology programs within 100 miles of Portland. In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, the top-earning psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $132,550 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Psychology Schools to Portland

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer psychology programs. Distances are calculated from Portland city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Portland State UniversityPortland, OR2.5 miContact school for pricing
University of Western StatesPortland, OR3.4 miContact school for pricing
Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate StudiesPortland, OR3.5 miContact school for pricing
Warner Pacific UniversityPortland, OR3.5 miContact school for pricing
Multnomah UniversityPortland, OR3.7 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Oregon schools on the Oregon psychology page.


Psychology Wages Near Portland

Portland is part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area (BLS area code 38900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Oregon statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$132,550Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$125,759
Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$94,180OR statewide$89,355
School Psychologist$120,130Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$113,975
Educational and Career Counselor$80,490Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$76,366
Marriage and Family Therapist$84,810Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$80,465
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor$71,530Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$67,865
Healthcare Social Worker$84,930Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$80,579
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$77,260Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$73,302

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Portland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population642,715Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$88,792Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+53.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)105.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Psychology-related employment in Multnomah County30,547 workers, 3,771 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Portland-Area Cities With Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited psychology programs are near Portland, OR?

Our directory lists 5 psychology programs within 100 miles of Portland. The closest is Portland State University in Portland, OR (2.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Multnomah University (3.7 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Portland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Portland are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($132,550), School Psychologist ($120,130), Industrial-Organizational Psychologist ($94,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Oregon statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Milwaukie instead of Portland?

Milwaukie, OR is 6.5 miles from Portland and has its own set of local psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Portland an affordable place to study psychology?

Portland’s median household income of $88,792 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Oregon public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.