Whittier College
- Graduation Rate
- 62% C+
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $59,492 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $25,757 D
- 50% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 81% C-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 16.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.2 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $16.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,566,323.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 46% above the national college median.
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Social mobility rate of 2.96% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $16.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Whittier College Matters
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 764
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Psychology, Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Whittier College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 81% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,757 a year after grants and scholarships — 50% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $59,492 ten years after enrolling — 46% above the typical college, against $24,937 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 11% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.79 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Whittier College has an acceptance rate of 81%, making it accessible for a wide range of students. With an enrollment of 764, the college fosters a close-knit community that can enhance the college experience. This environment can lead to better engagement and personalized attention from faculty.
The earnings potential for graduates is notable, with a median salary of $59,492 a decade after graduation. This figure suggests that students can expect a solid return on their investment. However, the graduation rate stands at 62%, indicating that while many students find success, some may struggle to complete their degrees.
The net price of attending Whittier College is $25,757, and the median student debt is $24,937. This means that while the financial commitment is significant, it remains manageable in relation to post-graduation earnings. Students who thrive here are often those pursuing degrees in Business & Marketing, Psychology, or the Visual & Performing Arts, taking advantage of the college's strengths.
Rankings
- #19 Best Business Colleges in California
- #28 Best Online Business Programs in California
- #34 Best Biology Colleges in California
- #40 Best Online Bachelor's in Engineering
- #40 Best Online Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering
- #40 Best Online Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering
- #40 Best Online Bachelor's in Civil Engineering
- #45 Best Colleges in California
Can I Get In?
How selective Whittier College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Whittier College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Whittier College, located in Whittier, California, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 26. The graduation rate is roughly 62%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 81%
- Retention Rate
- 66%
- ACT Midpoint
- 26
- Full-Time Faculty
- 74%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,094
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 10:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.76
- First-Gen Students
- 34%
- Applicants
- 3,014
- Admitted
- 2,274
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Whittier College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Whittier College is $51,350, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,757. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,718 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,937 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $51,350
- Out-of-State
- $51,350
- Avg Net Price
- $25,757
- Median Debt
- $24,937
- Pell Grant Rate
- 34%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 54%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $21,718
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $19,928
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $24,973
- Family Income $110K+
- $30,599
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Whittier College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Whittier College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Whittier College earn a median of $59,492, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $46,025
- 8 Years
- $53,338
- 10 Years
- $59,492
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.42x
- Earning > $25K
- 66%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (230)
- 59%
- 100% (230)
- 59%
- 100% (230)
- 59%
- 100% (230)
- 59%
How Whittier Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Whittier College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Whittier College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,757/year ($103,028 total). Graduates earn $59,492 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,669,351 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,566,323 (16.2× your investment). The median debt is $24,937, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 62% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $103,028
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,669,351
- Net Return
- $1,566,323
- ROI Multiple
- 16.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,757
- Median Debt
- $24,937
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 62%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Whittier College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Whittier College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.96%, among the highest in the country. About 7.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $98,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.96%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 37.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 7.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $133,827
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $3,326,020
- Investment Income
- $-13,603,762
Top Programs
The fields Whittier College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 23% $42,673 early-career
- Psychology 12% $25,556 early-career
- Social Sciences 8% $36,078 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 7% $17,746 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 5%
- Humanities 5% $18,479 early-career
- English & Literature 4% $18,479 early-career
- Physical Sciences 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Whittier College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Whittier College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Whittier College, located in Whittier, California, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 26. The graduation rate is roughly 62%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Whittier College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Whittier College is $51,350, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,757. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,718 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,937 in federal student loans.
Is Whittier College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Whittier College earn a median of $59,492, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Whittier College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Whittier College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.96%, among the highest in the country. About 7.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $98,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Whittier College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Whittier College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Whittier College.
- Saint Joseph's College of MaineStandish, ME · Close peer67% grad $59,045 earn 84% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown, PA · Close peer59% grad $59,460 earn 84% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Clarke UniversityDubuque, IA · Close peer56% grad $55,396 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied HealthOmaha, NE · Close peer63% grad $65,071 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN · Close peer62% grad $55,376 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of Saint MaryLeavenworth, KS · Close peer46% grad $59,483 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Whittier College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Whittier College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note