Whittier College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Whittier, California. It enrolls 764 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes31
Value33
Affordability40
Selectivity54
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 80.8%, Whittier College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
80.8%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Whittier College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
28.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Whittier College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $25,757 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$25,757
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
54%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$51,350
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,082
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,300
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$63,664
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$21,718
$30,001 – $48,000
$19,928
$48,001 – $75,000
$24,973
$75,001 – $110,000
$26,718
Over $110,000
$30,599
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,99810%percentile
$8,05325%percentile
$24,937Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$31,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,000
↓ $5,937
No Pell $15,750
↓ $9,187
Dependent students $17,998
↓ $6,939
Independent students $20,000
↓ $4,937
Female students $19,000
↓ $5,937
Male students $15,750
↓ $9,187
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($24,937), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
72% of full-time students who enrolled at Whittier College graduate within six years, and 58% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
72%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
58%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Whittier College earn a median of $59,492 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$59,492
Earning > $25K
82%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$47,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$55,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$48,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$56,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,600, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
16.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 85% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Whittier College is home to 764 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 34% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
764
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
34%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 39.0%298
White 24.0%183
International 13.4%102
Other 6.7%51
Asian 5.8%44
Black 5.6%43
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Whittier College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbWhittier, California
Housing
Strongly residential793 beds for 764 students
Adult Learners
5%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Whittier College offers
a varied set of programs:
27 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Whittier College is 8:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
8:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$221M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$87,357
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
96 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
35
36%
$102,177
Associate Professors
28
29%
$87,180
Assistant Professors
11
11%
$76,849
Lecturers
22
23%
$69,258
Pros & Cons of Whittier College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Whittier College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
First-year retention is below typical
High published cost of attendance before aid
Best for:
Based on the data, Whittier College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Whittier College.
Is Whittier College hard to get into?
Whittier College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 80.8%.
What is the acceptance rate at Whittier College?
Whittier College has an acceptance rate of 80.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Whittier College cost?
The average net price after aid at Whittier College is $25,757 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Whittier College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $59,492 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $25,757 per year. That's roughly 2.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Whittier College known for?
Whittier College is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Biology, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Whittier College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Whittier College are $59,492, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Whittier College accredited?
Yes. Whittier College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Whittier College?
Whittier College enrolls 764 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Whittier College?
Whittier College graduates 72% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Whittier College a public or private college?
Whittier College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Whittier College located?
Whittier College is located in Whittier, California.
What programs does Whittier College offer?
Whittier College offers 27 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Biology, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Whittier College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Whittier College is 8:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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