Amherst vs. Whitman College

Should I go to Amherst College or Whitman College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Whitman College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Amherst College vs. Whitman College comparison
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Amherst College Whitman College
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Overview

Amherst Whitman College
Location Amherst, MA Walla Walla, WA
Setting Town Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 1,910 1,544
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #94
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $66,650 $61,070
Tuition (Out of State) $66,650 $61,070
Room & Board $17,560 $14,640
Avg Net Price $17,965 $41,601
Avg Grant Aid $65,623 $33,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 92%

Admission

Amherst Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,727 6,185
Admitted 1,250 3,092
Acceptance Rate 9.8% 50%
Enrolled % 39% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/35 27/33
SAT Range 1360/1550 1270/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Amherst Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Amherst Whitman College
Graduation Rate 96% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $180

Diversity

Amherst Whitman College
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 0% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 72%
% Black 12% 1%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Whitman College
% In-State 9% 31%
% Out-of-State 77% 53%

Campus

Amherst Whitman College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (1,910 students vs. 1,544 students)

Amherst vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Whitman College?

  • Amherst College is 9.1% more expensive to attend than Whitman College for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $61,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at Amherst than Whitman College ($66,650.00 vs. $61,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Whitman College ($17,965 vs. $41,601)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whitman College are 19.9% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,640 vs. $17,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Whitman College than Amherst College (92% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 96.2% larger than aid received Whitman College ($65,623 vs. $33,441)

Amherst vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Whitman College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Whitman College or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 137 points higher than at Whitman College (1314)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Whitman College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Whitman College (3.68)
  • Whitman College has a higher acceptance rate (50%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Amherst vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Whitman College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Whitman College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Whitman College (96% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $25,100 more per year than Whitman College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $56,900)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $4,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Whitman College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $17,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Whitman College graduates. ($134 vs. $180)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 83%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/