Pacific vs. Whitman College

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

Pacific Whitman College
Location Forest Grove, OR Walla Walla, WA
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 3,559 1,493
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #354 #84
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pacificu.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pacific Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $50,884 $58,200
Tuition (Out of State) $50,884 $58,200
Room & Board $14,408 $14,220
Avg Net Price $33,472 $39,935
Avg Grant Aid $33,340 $32,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

Pacific Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,759 5,497
Admitted 2,546 2,622
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 47.7%
Enrolled % 15.4% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 30/33
SAT Range 1010/1350 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 Aug 25, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Pacific Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Pacific Whitman College
Graduation Rate 61% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,800 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,156 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $270 $180

Diversity

Pacific Whitman College
% Men 32% 44%
% Women 68% 56%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 72%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 3% 0%
% Two or More Races 12% 7%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Pacific Whitman College
% In-State 38% 27%
% Out-of-State 61% 59%

Campus

Pacific 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

  • Pacific University is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (3,559 students vs. 1,493 students)

Pacific vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pacific or Whitman College?

  • Whitman College is 14.4% more expensive to attend than Pacific for in-state tuition ($58,200.00 vs. $50,884.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.4% higher at Whitman College than Pacific University ($58,200.00 vs. $50,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific University than Whitman College ($33,472 vs. $39,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whitman College are 1.3% lower than costs at Pacific University ($14,220 vs. $14,408)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific University than Whitman College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific University students is 4% larger than aid received Whitman College ($33,340 vs. $32,047)

Pacific vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Whitman College (1314) is 224 points higher than at Pacific (1090)
  • Incoming Whitman College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Pacific (24)
  • Accepted freshman Pacific students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Whitman College (3.68)
  • Pacific has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Whitman College (47.7%)

Pacific vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pacific 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 Pacific.

  • The graduation rate at Whitman College is higher than Pacific University (86% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Whitman College earn on average $10,100 more per year than Pacific graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,800)
  • Whitman College students graduate with a $8,656 lower median federal student loan debt than Pacific graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,156)
  • Whitman College graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than Pacific graduates. ($180 vs. $270)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pacific students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 78%)

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