Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college located in Whittier, California. Whittier College is very inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Whittier College is in the bottom 50% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $54,871 10 years after enrolling, 58th in California, and in the top 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Whittier College bachelor students earn 6% less than the national average. Whittier College is ranked 59th in California.
Whittier College’s median net annual cost of $26,740 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Whittier College sorted by number of graduates - Business Administration, Health & Fitness, Biology, Psychology, Social Sciences, English Language & Lit - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$26,740
Average years to graduate
4.2
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #76
Economic score: 3
Sociology
Rank: #171
Economic score: 5.97
Social Work
Rank: -
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
Economic score: 16.16
Romance Language & Linguistics
Rank: -
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
Economic score: 23.92
Natural Resource Conservation
Rank: -
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
Economic score: 472.75
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 1 graduate programs at Whittier College - Education, General - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.2 years. 72% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Whittier College is 5% higher than the state average, and 4% above the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Whittier College, Pell Grant recipients represent 36% of the measured graduating class, 1% higher than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Whittier College graduates within 4.2 years.
Whittier College is in the top 10% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Whittier College’s economic mobility score of 25.46 is calculated by adjusting the 2.42 economic score of lower-income students by the 36% pell grant recipients within the student body. Whittier College’s EMS of 25.46 ranks in the top 25% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 25%
The average Title IV recipient at Whittier College pays $26,740 a year, $39,652 less than the $66,392 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $26,740
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Whittier College, 97% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $26,740 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 65% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $6,503. This is 11% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,040
Pell grants
$5,106
State grants
$8,627
Institutional grants
$27,764
Whittier College's very inclusive admissions are indicated by their 82% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 2,884 applicants, of which 2,379 were admitted and 277 enrolled. Whittier College has a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed as they arrive until all spaces are filled.
Full time
99%
83%
Female
57%
59%
First time
84%
59%
In-state
74%
68%
1st generation
34%
35%
White
23%
52%
Black
5%
14%
Hispanic
53%
15%
Asian
7%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
12%
12%