“Oregon's #1 liberal arts college for social mobility, with distinctive programs in nursing, wine studies, and over 165 years of educational excellence.”
Linfield University is a private liberal arts university founded in 1858, with its main campus on 193 acres in McMinnville, Oregon — in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley wine country, just 40 miles southwest of Portland. The university also operates a Portland campus (focused on nursing) and an eCampus for online learning, making it one of the few liberal arts institutions in the country with a multi-campus model. Linfield is consistently ranked the #1 liberal arts college in Oregon for social mobility and #56 nationally — a reflection of its long-standing commitment to making a transformative liberal arts education accessible to students from all backgrounds. Linfield's curriculum spans more than 50 majors, with particularly distinctive offerings in wine studies (uniquely positioned in the Willamette Valley wine industry), nursing (delivered at the Portland campus with strong clinical placements), sport management, business, communications, and the natural sciences. Linfield is one of the few US liberal arts colleges with a comprehensive Wine Studies program — students can pursue Wine Marketing, Wine Industry Management, and related concentrations leveraging the surrounding 700+ wineries of Yamhill County. The university has adopted a test-free admissions policy, looking holistically at applicants without requiring or considering SAT or ACT scores. With 95% of undergraduates receiving grants or scholarships and an average aid award of $31,493, Linfield delivers exceptional value. Campus life is built around a residential, traditional college experience. All students live on campus through their third year, with first-years and sophomores in dorm rooms across 13 residence halls and third-years gaining the option of on-campus apartments. The Wildcats compete in NCAA Division III athletics, and Linfield's football program is famously known for the 'Streak' — a remarkable record of consecutive winning seasons spanning decades. The McMinnville location offers students wine country tours, hiking, beach access (the Pacific Coast is one hour west), and an easy drive to Portland's tech, healthcare, and creative industries. Cardinal red and purple — adopted in 1917 — are worn proudly across campus.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
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Social Mobility — Liberal Arts Colleges
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Social Mobility — Liberal Arts Colleges (Oregon)
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Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourcePriority Application
Priority date for fall semester admission and aid
Spring Semester Application
Spring semester applications
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$52,580
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Strong programs in biology, chemistry, environmental science, and pre-health pathways with active undergraduate research.
Comprehensive nursing program based at the Portland campus with strong clinical placements; nursing graduates earn $78,638+ ten years after enrollment.
Practical business education with distinctive Sport Management and entrepreneurship offerings.
Uniquely positioned program in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country, featuring Wine Marketing, Wine Industry Management, and viticulture/enology connections.
Programs in English, history, philosophy, religion, psychology, sociology, and political science.
4 years
Distinctive program leveraging Linfield's location in the Willamette Valley wine country with 700+ surrounding wineries; rare offering at any US liberal arts college.
4 years
Comprehensive nursing program based at the Portland campus with strong clinical placements; nursing graduates earn $78,638+ ten years out — Linfield's highest-earning major.
4 years
Distinctive program preparing students for careers in athletics administration, sports business, and sport-related industries.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $50,850
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
