About Willamette University

At A Glance

Like Pacific, Willamette University was founded in the mid-19th century to serve a growing region. Founded in 1842, Willamette is deeply rooted in Oregon’s history. Like Pacific, they have long paired liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation. Like us, they are committed to student-centered education and to preparing graduates for lives of purpose and service. And like us, their graduates have shaped the Northwest for generations. But they bring distinctive capabilities that extend our reach:

• Civic Leadership: For over 183 years, Willamette has been a proving ground for the Pacific Northwest's most influential leaders in boardrooms, court rooms, and in the halls of government. Their historic campus located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol places students at the doorstep of democracy. Willamette alumni have included governors, congressional leaders, justices and leaders at every level of business, industry, and government.
• Geographic Reach: Campuses in Salem and Portland connect Willamette to Oregon‘s centers of commerce, culture and government, complementing our presence in Forest Grove and Hillsboro, Oregon’s technology hub.
• Program Diversity: Pacific, Willamette and PNCA would offer the Northwest’s broadest portfolio in a private university, spanning the liberal arts and sciences, healthcare, law, art and design, education, data and information science, business, and social work.

Mission & Motto

• Mission: Through nationally distinctive programs connecting liberal education to professional practice, Willamette University prepares graduates to turn knowledge into action and lead lives of achievement, contribution, and meaning.
• Motto: Non nobis solum nati sumus — Not unto ourselves alone are we born.

History & Legacy

• Founded in 1842 as the Oregon Institute, Willamette is the oldest university in the western United States.
• Created the first medical school (which eventually became OHSU) and first law school in the Pacific Northwest, establishing a legacy of professional education leadership.
• Today, Willamette serves approximately 2,800 students in a close-knit community focused on academic excellence.
   

Institutional Strengths

• Strong commitment to access, awarding more than $42 million in institutional scholarships annually.
• Endowment: $306 million (managed by outsourced CIO)
• Ranked #77 in National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
• Named Best Master’s in Data Science Program in the Northwest by Fortune Magazine.
• Named #1 MBA Program in Oregon by Bloomberg Businessweek.
• Willamette MBA is the only MBA program globally accredited in both Business and Public Administration. Their full-time MBA program is accredited by both NASPAA and AACSB. Their part-time MBA program and one-year MBA program are also AACSB-accredited MBA programs.
• PNCA is only Oregon member of Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD).
• One of 40 colleges designated among The Colleges That Change Lives.
• Offers more than 50 academic programs, including accelerated dual degree programs such as a 3+2 BA/MBA, 3+1 BS/MS, 3+3 BA/JD, MBA/MS, BFA/MFA, and MA/MFA .
• Willamette-owned 305-acre forest at Zena serves as an outdoor laboratory for interdisciplinary academic exploration.
• Hallie Ford Museum of Art on the Salem campus is the third largest museum in Oregon and the only liberal arts college art museum in the Pacific Northwest.
• Strong partnerships with government agencies, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and employers throughout the Northwest for internships and enriched learning opportunities.
• Focus on academic excellence. In the past 13 years, students and young alumni earned 25 Fulbrights, 13 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, 13 Gilman International Scholarships, four Goldwater Scholarships, three Truman Scholarships, and two Udall Scholarships.
   

Academic Structure

• Willamette College: Historic residential liberal arts and sciences college located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol. Most popular majors include Data Science, Economics, Politics, Biology, Business, and Psychology.
• School of Law: Oldest law school in the Northwest. Offers JD, LL.M, MLS, and accelerated 3+3 JD/MBA degrees.
• Atkinson Graduate School of Management: Offers MBA and MS degrees in Salem and Portland with specialized tracks and dual degree options.
• School of Computing & Information Sciences: Offers Master's in Data Science and Computer Science, including a combined MBA/MS in Data Science program.
• Pacific Northwest College of Art: Located in Portland in the historic 511 NW Broadway building with labs and studios in North Portland, PNCA is the premier art and design school in Oregon offering undergraduate and graduate programs and BFA/MFA and MA/MFA dual degree options.

Student Demographics (Fall 2025)

• Enrollment (day 1 census, headcount):
  • 2,190 undergraduates (includes 1,739 Salem undergraduates, 451 PNCA undergraduates, and dual degree students)
  • 596 graduate students
• Students of color: Salem undergraduates: 32%; PNCA undergraduates: 39%
• First-generation college students: Salem undergraduates: 22%; PNCA undergraduates: 31%
• Average GPA of first-time freshmen, unweighted (weighted): Salem: 3.7 (3.9); PNCA: 3.3 (3.5)

Campus Life & Athletics Snapshot

• Over 100 student clubs and organizations across all undergraduate and graduate programs, with 95% of students participating in campus activities, joining an average of three organizations.
• Member of NCAA Division III Northwest Conference with comprehensive athletics programs.
• More than 20 music ensembles and performing arts clubs, with several main stage productions annually.
• Students contribute more than 70,000 hours annually to community service, reflecting strong civic engagement.
• More than 100 organized Outdoor Program trips.