Oxy vs. MHC

Should I go to Occidental College or Mount Holyoke College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oxy or MHC 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. Mount Holyoke College comparison
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Occidental College Mount Holyoke College
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Overview

Oxy MHC
Location Los Angeles, CA South Hadley, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,942 2,392
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #72 #85
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu mtholyoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy MHC
Tuition (In State) $59,970 $58,280
Tuition (Out of State) $59,970 $58,280
Room & Board $17,330 $17,180
Avg Net Price $44,853 $35,765
Avg Grant Aid $33,025 $39,304
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 80%

Admission

Oxy MHC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,305 4,894
Admitted 2,484 1,946
Acceptance Rate 39.4% 39.8%
Enrolled % 21.4% 28%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.87
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/34 30/34
SAT Range 1370/1510 1350/1540
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 15, 2025

Academics

Oxy MHC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Oxy MHC
Graduation Rate 83% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $21,206
Median Loan Payment $244 $219

Diversity

Oxy MHC
% Men 41% 1%
% Women 59% 99%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 45%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 6% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Oxy MHC
% In-State 34% 16%
% Out-of-State 61% 60%

Campus

Oxy MHC
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

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (2,392 students vs. 1,942 students)

Oxy vs. MHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or MHC?

  • Occidental College is 2.9% more expensive to attend than MHC for in-state tuition ($59,970.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at Oxy than Mount Holyoke College ($59,970.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mount Holyoke College than Oxy ($35,765 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Holyoke College are 0.9% lower than costs at Occidental College ($17,180 vs. $17,330)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than Occidental College (80% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Holyoke College students is 19% larger than aid received Occidental College ($39,304 vs. $33,025)

Oxy vs. MHC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MHC students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Oxy (39.4%)

Oxy vs. MHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MHC is higher than Occidental College (85% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from Occidental College earn on average $6,600 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $50,000)
  • Mount Holyoke College students graduate with a $2,446 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($21,206 vs. $23,652)
  • MHC graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($219 vs. $244)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MHC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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