Student Body ↓

About

About Whittier College

liberal arts collegesmall class sizessocial sciences focuspre med programs

Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, CA, known for its small class sizes, social sciences focus, and pre med programs. With an acceptance rate of 75%, Whittier is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 249 students each year. Whittier is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1160–1360, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. Whittier offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $35,495 per year; the sticker price of $66,286 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Whittier College acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

75%
Overall Accept Rate
3.50
Typical Admitted GPA
1260
Median Admitted SAT
GPATypical admitted range: 3.25 – 3.75 unweighted

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SATSubmitted score range: 1160 – 1360 (test optional)

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ACTScore range: 23 – 28

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Whittier College

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Whittier College rates essays as their most important factor, so use your personal statement to show genuine intellectual curiosity and how you engage with ideas beyond the classroom. Reviewers at Whittier want to see your voice, not a polished but generic story, so write something that only you could have written.
Application Strategy
Whittier has Quaker roots that still shape its emphasis on community, social responsibility, and dialogue across difference, so in your activities and short answers, highlight experiences where you contributed to a community or worked through a meaningful disagreement. This is not just background trivia; it directly reflects what the school values in students.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Whittier College actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceAvg. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$66k/yr$21.7k
30k-48k~$66k/yr$19.9k
48k-75k~$66k/yr$25.0k
75k-110k~$66k/yr$26.7k
110k+~$66k/yr$30.6k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

63%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$46k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
11:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
1,242
Undergrad Enrollment

Student Body

Student body composition

Race & Ethnicity

39%Hispanic
24%White
13%International
6%Asian
6%Black / African American
6%Unknown / Unreported
5%Two or More Races
1%American Indian / AK Native
1%Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
Gender43% Men · 57% Women
Citizenship / Immigration Status87% Citizens and Immigrants · 13% International
Whittier, Whittier Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch