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Whittier , CA
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college located in Whittier, California. Founded in 1887, it has a rich history and a strong emphasis on providing students with a well-rounded education. The college offers a wide range of majors and programs, with an average class size of 14 students, ensuring personalized attention and meaningful interactions with faculty. Whittier College is known for its strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and its vibrant campus community fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and civic engagement.
The academic programs at Whittier College are designed to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world. The college offers more than 30 majors and 30 minors, ranging from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences to business, education, and the arts. Students are encouraged to explore their passions and develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills through engaging classroom experiences, independent research, internships, and study abroad opportunities.
In addition to its rigorous academic curriculum, Whittier College offers a rich campus life experience. With over 60 student clubs and organizations, students have endless opportunities to pursue their interests and make lasting connections with peers. The college also has a strong focus on community engagement and provides various community service and leadership opportunities. Nestled in the scenic San Gabriel Valley, Whittier College offers a picturesque campus with a close-knit community where students can thrive academically, socially, and personally.
Whittier College is a private four-year college located in Whittier, CA and set in a suburban environment. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 83%. The freshman retention rate at Whittier College is 66.21% and the six-year graduation rate is 60%.
Explore this school's profile to find out all the important things about Whittier College.
Quick Facts
767
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$51,917
Tuition
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
60%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to find out as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the school in order to increase your chances of being accepted. How difficult is it to get admitted to Whittier College and what are the admission requirements?
In 2025, the school accepted 3,668 new students.
Test Scores
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.5. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Whittier College.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. When creating your list of possible schools to attend, you should consider the freshman retention rate, among other things.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Whittier College was 66.21%.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 60%.
Student Body
Choosing a school that is the best fit for you is not a simple task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Whittier College in 2025 was 797.
That year, the school had 16% of out-of-state students. There was a total of 767 students working towards bachelor's degrees, including 102 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 78.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 320 male and 423 female full-time students in 2025. 6 full-time graduate men and 17 full-time graduate women attended this school.
Student Population Diversity
In order to enhance a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 34, while the number of Black American students was 33. 391 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 50 identified with more than one race. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 3 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 3 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into account when applying to any college or university is the financial component. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Whittier College estimated tuition costs.
In 2025, tuition amounted to $51,917 for all full-time domestic students. Whittier College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were required to pay additional fees in the amount of $960.
Books and Supplies
Another important financial factor to take into consideration is the approximate price of books and supplies for a college or university. The approximate price of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,000.
Boarding
Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
In 2025, room and board cost at Whittier College amounted to $16,400 a year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 51,917 |
| Room and Board | $ 16,400 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,000 |
| Total Expense | $ 69,317 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all types of financial support available to students. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid available at Whittier College.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 99 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $41,357 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
424 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Whittier College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need ended up being 506. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution added up to $16,754,979, and state $11,807,961. The students of Whittier College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $28,050,300, and external in the amount of $4,565,060.
$27,794
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
60 students, including freshmen, obtained institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this institution in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 14 full-time freshman. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $20,543,425. 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 $2,315,416 USD.
Majors
Faculty
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Whittier College was 8:1: that means 8 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. According to the most recent information, there are 109 faculty members at this school. This number included 50 men and 58 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Whittier College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Whittier College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about campus life at Whittier College.
Its campus spans 75 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
This school has 50 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 15 and female students 30. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Global Poets, followed by PSALA (Poet Student Athletic Leadership Academy) and Program Board. Other popular organizations among the students at Whittier College are Diversity Council and Athenian Society.
If you're interested in acting, you have the option to join a drama club. You have a passion for media and communication? Whittier College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Whittier College provides a number of services necessary for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of Whittier College.
All in all, campus life at Whittier College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
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 Whittier College.
Career Counselling
At Whittier 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. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students.
Job Placement
Acquiring information about the potential income after graduation can help you decide if a specific school is the right one for your career aspirations.
Students who find employment within six months of graduating can expect an average base annual starting salary of 62,000 USD.
$62,000
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Whittier College is located in Whittier, CA.
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Whittier 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 Whittier College is 51,917 USD, based on the most recent data.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Whittier College is 83%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Whittier College is 66.21%.
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.