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Los Angeles , CA
Occidental College is a private liberal arts college located in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1887, it has been consistently recognized as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. The campus is spread across a picturesque 120-acre hilltop and offers a serene and close-knit community for its diverse student body.
Known for its strong commitment to academic excellence and intellectual curiosity, Occidental College offers over 40 majors and minors in various fields of study. The college prides itself on its student-faculty ratio of 10:1, ensuring personalized attention and mentorship for its students. The rigorous curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, analysis, and practical problem-solving skills, preparing students for successful careers or further academic pursuits.
Occidental College is also renowned for its vibrant campus life, promoting a well-rounded education beyond the classroom. With over 120 student organizations and a variety of cultural, athletic, and social activities, there is something for everyone. The college's commitment to social justice is evident through its strong community engagement programs and emphasis on global citizenship. Additionally, Occidental's location in Los Angeles provides students with numerous opportunities for internships, research, and cultural exploration.
In conclusion, Occidental College stands out as a prestigious liberal arts institution that offers a rigorous and comprehensive education. With a focus on critical thinking, a supportive faculty, and a vibrant campus life, it provides students with the tools and experiences necessary to thrive academically and personally.
Located in Los Angeles, CA and set in an urban environment, Occidental College is a private four-year college. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 44%. The freshman retention rate at Occidental College is 89.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 81%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 10. Here are some current data on important things to consider about Occidental College.
Quick Facts
1,881
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$65,678
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
81%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most important facts you have to know about admission at Occidental College.
According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 2,854 in 2025. Occidental College has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores if the applicant chooses to submit them.
Test Scores
20% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 8% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 74% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 26% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 98 and 2 between 24-29.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 32 and the average GPA was 3.61. That means you'll most likely need an above-average GPA to get accepted as well as an above-average ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 716 and an average SAT Math score of 722.
Deadlines
The last day for submitting applications to this school is January 10.
Retention Rate
The percentage of first-year students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. Why is that metric important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Occidental College was 89.8% in 2025, which is considered an above-average retention rate and is indicative of the quality of educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year graduation rate at this institution stands at 81%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Figuring out which school is the right fit for you is not a task you should take lightly. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a better understanding of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Occidental College in 2025 was 1,881.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 59% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 1,881, 93 of which were international students. The school reported to have a total of 43 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 769 male and 1,089 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 302 Asian students and 83 Afro-American students in 2025. 331 undergrads at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 184 as multirace. The school also had 3 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 21 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before you send an application to any college or university, you should take into account the financial component. Here are some important data on Occidental College costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Occidental College estimated tuition costs.
Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $65,678 in 2025. Occidental College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were mandated to pay additional fees in the amount of $596.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The approximate expense of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,250.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Occidental College was $10,958 in 2025. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 totaled $8,294 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 65,678 |
| Room and Board | $ 10,958 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,250 |
| Total Expense | $ 77,886 |
Financial Aid
Financial help for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Occidental College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
According to the most recent data, 256 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $60,015.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
There were 915 students who received need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Occidental College is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 933. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution summed up to $2,698,128, and state $1,655,674. The students of Occidental College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $43,160,638, and external in the amount of $2,185,582.
$15,544
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 636 students overall (including freshmen) at Occidental College in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 191 full-time freshmen. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $8,852,648. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $877,696 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Occidental College was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. This school has recently reported to have 271 faculty members. This number included 133 male and 106 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Occidental College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about social life at Occidental College.
Its campus is 120 acres in size.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
That includes sororities and fraternities. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a talent for media and communication? Occidental College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Occidental College, there are many amenities required for a pleasant and safe life on campus.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of Occidental College.
All in all, campus life at Occidental College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Occidental College.
Career Counselling
At Occidental College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Occidental College is located in Los Angeles, CA.
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Occidental College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for Occidental College is 65,678 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Occidental College is 44%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Occidental College is 89.8%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
