Oxy vs. Whittier College

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

Oxy Whittier College
Location Los Angeles, CA Whittier, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,942 1,192
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #72 #273
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu whittier.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy Whittier College
Tuition (In State) $59,970 $48,924
Tuition (Out of State) $59,970 $48,924
Room & Board $17,330 $15,623
Avg Net Price $44,853 $28,368
Avg Grant Aid $33,025 $34,623
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 100%

Admission

Oxy Whittier College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,305 3,014
Admitted 2,484 2,274
Acceptance Rate 39.4% 75.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/34 24/30
SAT Range 1370/1510 1140/1340
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

Academics

Oxy Whittier College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Oxy Whittier College
Graduation Rate 83% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $244 $263

Diversity

Oxy Whittier College
% Men 41% 44%
% Women 59% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 31%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 44%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Oxy Whittier College
% In-State 34% 64%
% Out-of-State 61% 27%

Campus

Oxy Whittier College
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 Whittier College based on total student enrollment (1,942 students vs. 1,192 students)

Oxy vs. Whittier College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or Whittier College?

  • Occidental College is 22.6% more expensive to attend than Whittier College for in-state tuition ($59,970.00 vs. $48,924.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.6% higher at Oxy than Whittier College ($59,970.00 vs. $48,924.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Whittier College than Oxy ($28,368 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whittier College are 10.9% lower than costs at Occidental College ($15,623 vs. $17,330)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College than Occidental College (100% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Whittier College students is 4.8% larger than aid received Occidental College ($34,623 vs. $33,025)

Oxy vs. Whittier College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Occidental College (1304) is 247 points higher than at Whittier College (1057)
  • Incoming Oxy students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Whittier College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Oxy students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Whittier College (3.61)
  • Whittier College has a higher acceptance rate (75.4%) than Oxy (39.4%)

Oxy vs. Whittier College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oxy or Whittier 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 Whittier College and Oxy.

  • The graduation rate at Oxy is higher than Whittier College (83% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Occidental College earn on average $9,200 more per year than Whittier College graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $47,400)
  • Occidental College students graduate with a $1,848 lower median federal student loan debt than Whittier College graduates. ($23,652 vs. $25,500)
  • Oxy graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Whittier College graduates. ($244 vs. $263)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Whittier College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

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