SPU vs. Whitman College

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

SPU Whitman College
Location Seattle, WA Walla Walla, WA
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 3,118 1,493
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #270 #84
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spu.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SPU Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $36,504 $58,200
Tuition (Out of State) $36,504 $58,200
Room & Board $14,409 $14,220
Avg Net Price $26,549 $39,935
Avg Grant Aid $25,359 $32,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

SPU Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,895 5,497
Admitted 3,533 2,622
Acceptance Rate 90.7% 47.7%
Enrolled % 15.2% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 30/33
SAT Range 1080/1350 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 Jul 11, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

SPU Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

SPU Whitman College
Graduation Rate 74% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,603 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $264 $180

Diversity

SPU Whitman College
% Men 31% 44%
% Women 69% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 72%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

SPU Whitman College
% In-State 71% 27%
% Out-of-State 26% 59%

Campus

SPU 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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (3,118 students vs. 1,493 students)

SPU vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SPU or Whitman College?

  • Whitman College is 59.4% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($58,200.00 vs. $36,504.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.4% higher at Whitman College than Seattle Pacific University ($58,200.00 vs. $36,504.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Seattle Pacific University than Whitman College ($26,549 vs. $39,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whitman College are 1.3% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($14,220 vs. $14,409)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Seattle Pacific University than Whitman College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Whitman College students is 26.4% larger than aid received Seattle Pacific University ($32,047 vs. $25,359)

SPU vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Whitman College (1314) is 169 points higher than at SPU (1145)
  • Incoming Whitman College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at SPU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Whitman College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than Whitman College (47.7%)

SPU vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SPU 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 SPU.

  • The graduation rate at Whitman College is higher than Seattle Pacific University (86% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Whitman College earn on average $6,500 more per year than SPU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $50,400)
  • Whitman College students graduate with a $8,103 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($17,500 vs. $25,603)
  • Whitman College graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($180 vs. $264)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SPU students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 82%)

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