The school you choose will depend heavily on your interests and the degree you choose to pursue. Oregon colleges offer countless award-winning programs, but you just have to know where to look. If you want to concentrate on liberal arts, University of Oregon and Portland State University, depending on desired location, are the way to go. If, however, you're more interested in science, check out Oregon State University. Even further, if you know you want to go into the health sciences, Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland offers a comprehensive health sciences education along with research.
Setting also can make or break the college experience. Once you choose what kind of program you want to study, Oregon gives a lot of flexibility when it comes to the landscape with which you want to surround yourself. Again, begin with the kind of program you want to study. Narrow down the schools to which you're applying. Then decide for yourself: do I want to be in the city or do I want to go rural? Depending on your answer, you can end up anywhere in the state. University of Oregon, for example, is in Eugene, a rural college town about two hours from Portland. Even farther south is Southern Oregon University in Ashland, which is more isolated than both Eugene and Portland. If, however, rural settings aren't your thing, Portland offers plenty of schools in all disciplines, in all the city's neighborhoods.
If tuition is a concern for you, Oregon colleges give you options. Both public and private universities in the state offer need-based scholarships and loans, scholastic scholarships, work study, and federal and state grants. State-run schools will have lower tuition to begin with. If, however, you still seek out a private education, schools like Reed College or Lewis and Clark College, both in Portland, offer liberal arts educations without religious affiliations. Oregon also offers private for-profit university educations, such as Everest College or University of Phoenix.
If you're looking for a school with a particular religious association, there is no shortage of private religiously affiliated schools in this state. Any location you want --- Eugene, Salem or Portland --- offers schools such as Northwest Christian University, George Fox University and Concordia University, among others.