Best Community Colleges in Oregon

Why Attend Community College in Oregon?

Oregon has plenty of advantages that make it a great choice for community college. Not only are tuition fees of less than $7,000 per year common at most of the state’s community colleges, but the career opportunities are plentiful. In addition to being the median state concerning job types with 748 to choose from, Oregon carries a far lower unemployment rate than most of its neighboring states - with approximately 4.1% unemployment reported in the last quarter of 2021. With a great number of positions available (1.3% of the national workforce!), this is an attractive option for those hoping to get their foot in the door quickly.

What Career Pathways Are Available in Oregon?

When it comes to job types, Oregon ranks at 18th in the nation. That puts it slightly above the national median for job types (which is at 722). This is great news for students hoping to specialize in something, as there should be numerous options to choose from. Oregon’s strong in various areas, such as advanced manufacturing, technology, outdoor recreation activities, food production, and more.

Overall, Oregon has plenty of positions available, with 1,825,370 employed professionals compared to the national workforce - putting it at the 50th percentile in terms of labor, and beating out its neighbor Kentucky by a mere 0.7%. With positions available, the number of available jobs is simply ahead of the pack and should give students plenty of confidence that they can find the right job and career track.

What Are The Most Common Jobs in Oregon?

When it comes to job types, Oregon offers 748 different positions and is among the leaders in the nation. Some of the most common occupations here include janitors and cleaners, waiters and waitresses, and cooks.

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Oregon employs 21,840 janitors and cleaners. This places Oregon in the 31st slot in terms of employable janitors and cleaners - which isn’t bad considering the leader (in this instance, California) employs almost three times as many. As far as salaries go, $30,600 is the median - although this only places Oregon at the 13th rank in terms of pay, lower than 24% of states.

Waiters and Waitresses

Nearly 21,000 waiters and waitresses are employed in Oregon, making it the 29th most of any state. The median annual salary for this occupation type is $28,900, placing it about 14% below the national median, and Oregeon in the 8th place in the nation. As it turns out, the top paying state is California - where those in the occupation earn almost $34K per year - nearly 5,000 more than in Oregon.

Cooks, Restaurant

Oregon’s got 18,850 restaurant cooks employed. This ranks it right in the middle (23rd) when compared to other states, and the median salary of $32,150 falls in-line with the median of its neighboring state to the north (Iowa). When compared to the national median, Oregon falls slightly short by just under (9%) $2,000, not bad at all. Those with the know-how can accelerate their earnings though via a 35% bonus potential.