More Oregon high schoolers are taking AP exams

A growing number of Oregon high schoolers are participating in college-level coursework and showing college-level proficiency, according to a new report.

Participation in Advanced Placement exams has grown 70% since 2021 and now exceeds pre-pandemic participation rates, according to a new report from the College Board. The College Board is a nonprofit that develops and administers Advanced Placement, or AP, coursework and exams in dozens of subjects that are used by high schools around the country.

The number of AP exams taken in each subject doesn’t fully translate into the number of students participating in an AP class, because students can take exams without enrolling in the class, but most students who take exams do enroll in the AP class, according to the College Board.

Increased participation and test scores indicate more Oregon students are college ready, according to an Oregon Department of Education news release announcing the latest report.

In 2019, roughly 19,500 Oregon students took 32,000 AP exams. In 2025, nearly 22,000 Oregon students took more than 37,000 AP exams.

Of those students who took exams this year, nearly 72% received a 3, 4 or 5 — scores for which many students can receive college credit if and when they choose to enroll. That proportion of college credit-bearing scores is almost 18% higher than it was just a year ago.

A typical 4-credit class at Oregon’s community colleges and public universities is between $375 to more than $1,000, according to the state education department, meaning credit-bearing scores can provide students and families significant tuition savings.

State education officials credit Measure 98 and the High School Success Initiative passed in 2016 for ensuring more Oregon schools offer AP classes, as well as dual credit courses with local colleges and International Baccalaureate programs, where students can also receive accelerated coursework.

“These results show that Oregon students are rising to the occasion when given the opportunity to learn at the highest levels,” Charlene Williams, director of the Oregon Department of Education, said in a statement.

Oregon education officials also said a state fund that helps students from low-income families afford exam fees has helped grow participation. Each AP exam costs $99 and many students take multiple exams. Nearly 21% of Oregon’s test takers relied on assistance to pay for their exams.

Year over year, participation in AP classes among Oregon students grew most among Black students, about 16%, roughly double the growth in overall participation among Oregon students. Among Black students, the proportion receiving credit-bearing scores of 3, 4 or 5 grew by a third. For Hispanic and Latino students, AP test-taking was up 7% since 2024, and the number of Hispanic and Latino students getting credit-bearing scores grew by nearly 18%.

“We’re especially encouraged to see growth among students historically underrepresented in advanced coursework. This is what progress looks like when schools, students, and families work together,” Williams said.

But Oregon still lags national AP participation rates among Black students and Latino and Hispanic students. Nationwide, in 2025, roughly 8% of students taking AP exams were Black students, while less than 2% of Oregon students taking AP exams were Black.

Hispanic and Latino students made up more than a quarter of all AP test takers nationwide in 2025, while those students made up 18% or Oregon’s AP test takers. Following nationwide trends, slightly more female than male students took AP exams in 2025 and got college credit-bearing scores.

— Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy.