Lafayette College vs. Whitman College

Should I go to Lafayette College or Whitman College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lafayette College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Lehigh Bucknell Villanova Fordham Lewis and Clark Union College Skidmore College Reed Colgate University of Richmond Trinity College Denison
Lafayette College vs. Whitman College comparison
Lafayette College Whitman College College 3 College 4
Lafayette College Whitman College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Lafayette College Whitman College
Location Easton, PA Walla Walla, WA
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 2,729 1,493
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #84
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $58,110 $58,200
Tuition (Out of State) $58,110 $58,200
Room & Board $17,336 $14,220
Avg Net Price $37,186 $39,935
Avg Grant Aid $24,981 $32,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

Lafayette College Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,500 5,497
Admitted 3,531 2,622
Acceptance Rate 33.6% 47.7%
Enrolled % 21.4% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/33 30/33
SAT Range 1330/1480 1293/1473
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 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Lafayette College Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College Whitman College
Graduation Rate 88% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $180

Diversity

Lafayette College Whitman College
% Men 50% 44%
% Women 50% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 72%
% Black 5% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 9% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Lafayette College Whitman College
% In-State 16% 27%
% Out-of-State 76% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 1,493 students)

Lafayette College vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lafayette College or Whitman College?

  • Whitman College is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($58,200.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Whitman College than Lafayette College ($58,200.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than Whitman College ($37,186 vs. $39,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whitman College are 21.9% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,220 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Whitman College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Whitman College students is 28.3% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($32,047 vs. $24,981)

Lafayette College vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Whitman College (1314) is 20 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Whitman College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Whitman College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Whitman College has a higher acceptance rate (47.7%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

Lafayette College vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette College 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Whitman College (88% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $24,100 more per year than Whitman College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $56,900)
  • Whitman College students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Whitman College graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($180 vs. $268)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lafayette College students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 91%)

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