Oxy vs. Amherst

Should I go to Occidental College or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oxy or Amherst 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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Occidental College vs. Amherst College comparison
Occidental College Amherst College College 3 College 4
Occidental College Amherst College
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Overview

Oxy Amherst
Location Los Angeles, CA Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,942 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #72 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy Amherst
Tuition (In State) $59,970 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $59,970 $63,500
Room & Board $17,330 $16,750
Avg Net Price $44,853 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $33,025 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 58%

Admission

Oxy Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,305 14,864
Admitted 2,484 1,079
Acceptance Rate 39.4% 7.3%
Enrolled % 21.4% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.91
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 32/35
SAT Range 1370/1510 1420/1550
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 10, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Oxy Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Oxy Amherst
Graduation Rate 83% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $244 $134

Diversity

Oxy Amherst
% Men 41% 48%
% Women 59% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 42%
% Black 5% 12%
% Hispanic 16% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

Oxy Amherst
% In-State 34% 13%
% Out-of-State 61% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Occidental College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (1,942 students vs. 1,898 students)

Oxy vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 5.9% more expensive to attend than Oxy for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at Amherst than Occidental College ($63,500.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Oxy ($21,367 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 3.5% lower than costs at Occidental College ($16,750 vs. $17,330)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Occidental College than Amherst College (76% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 77.7% larger than aid received Occidental College ($58,693 vs. $33,025)

Oxy vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 147 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Oxy (30)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Oxy vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oxy or Amherst? 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 Amherst and Oxy.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Occidental College (96% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $25,400 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $56,600)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $10,677 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($12,975 vs. $23,652)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($134 vs. $244)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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