La Grande, Oregon – October 5, 2026 Eastern Oregon University (EOU) has earned the No. 34 spot among Top Public Schools in the West, as per the US News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings. The university also ranked No. 53 in Top Performers on Social Mobility and No. 68 in Regional Universities West.
Established in 1929 as a teacher’s college, EOU has a rich history that dates back to its opening as “Eastern Oregon Normal School.” Inlow Hall, the school’s first building, incorporated the former Ackerman Elementary School in 1936. The school built dormitories for female students in 1938 and residences for men in 1947.
The library was added in 1951, and Quinn Coliseum opened in 1958. In 1972, KEOL, the university’s radio station, started broadcasting, and the Hoke College Center was completed the following year. The 1973 Legislature changed EOC’s name to “Eastern Oregon State College.” In 1980 Inlow Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The college added the football stadium in 1984 and Loso Hall in 1989. In 1997, Eastern Oregon State College became “Eastern Oregon University,” just as Oregon’s other regional schools were renamed Western Oregon University and Southern Oregon University.
In 2013, the Oregon University System began creating independent boards for certain schools, including Oregon State and the University of Oregon. On June 30, 2015, the Oregon University System was dissolved, and on July 1, 2015, the Eastern Oregon University Board of Trustees took on governance of the institution. The university removed the name Pierce from the library in November 2020, which had been named for former governor Walter M.
Pierce due to the governor’s views on race. On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, the EOU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Kelly A. Ryan as the university’s 13th president.
EOU’s location in La Grande, nestled in the Blue Mountain range between Portland, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho, just off Interstate 84, offers students a serene and picturesque setting. The university has a 98% acceptance rate and centers across Oregon in Bend, Burns, Enterprise, the Portland area, Hermiston, John Day, Ontario, Pendleton, Roseburg, and Salem.
The university offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and its academic programs provide students with the opportunity to learn in a small classroom setting in rural Oregon. New programs in vocational fields such as Fire Services Administration and Global Foods and Agribusiness target regional employment needs. Looking forward, EOU’s continued success in the rankings underscores a period of strategic progress guided by its Ascent 2029 Strategic Blueprint.
The university’s mission to serve Oregonians and students regardless of their location extends high-quality educational opportunities far beyond its immediate region. As EOU continues to excel, it remains a beacon of educational opportunity in Oregon and beyond.
