Occidental College
About
Occidental College is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast of the United States.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell recipients here graduate at a 6.3-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 32 Title IV programs, 10 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 22 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing10 · 31.2%
- No Data22 · 68.8%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Action history · 1
- Jun 2022Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 396 students received $2.4M in Pell grants, alongside $7.9M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 343 borrowers who entered repayment, 1 (0.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Occidental College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus6
- Public property1
Includes 3 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Eileen Norris Hall1 fireArson - an unidentified person set fire to an American flag on an outdoor patio.Damage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Occidental College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Occidental College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectOccidental College | 81% | 44.2% | 1,881 | $38,263 | Baccalaureate |
| 90% | 20.4% | 2,128 | $25,407 | Baccalaureate | |
| 88% | 18.5% | 2,056 | $33,375 | Baccalaureate | |
| 80% | 42.1% | 2,314 | $37,607 | Baccalaureate | |
| 84% | 28.2% | 1,808 | $36,425 | Baccalaureate | |
| 91% | 13.6% | 2,031 | $28,985 | Baccalaureate | |
| 87% | 28.5% | 2,138 | $32,149 | Baccalaureate | |
| 81% | 34.2% | 2,909 | $38,645 | Baccalaureate | |
| 83% | 25.2% | 1,242 | $34,191 | Baccalaureate | |
| 93% | 7.1% | 1,700 | $19,285 | Baccalaureate | |
| 71% | 24.6% | 1,358 | $33,013 | Baccalaureate | |
| 85% | 50.4% | 1,861 | $28,585 | Baccalaureate | |
| 83% | 38.3% | 1,137 | $36,294 | Baccalaureate | |
| 83% | 21.1% | 2,704 | $32,297 | Baccalaureate | |
| 84% | 29.2% | 2,238 | $34,832 | Baccalaureate | |
| 80% | 43.9% | 2,065 | $34,561 | Baccalaureate | |
| 81% | 38.1% | 1,561 | $33,313 | Baccalaureate | |
| Peer group median | 83% | 28.5% | 2,031 | $33,375 |
Institutions like Occidental College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Occidental College's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateMinnesota
Carleton College
Grad rate90%Admit rate20.4%Enrollment2,128Net price$25,407View data - BaccalaureateColorado
Colorado College
Grad rate88%Admit rate18.5%Enrollment2,056Net price$33,375View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
Dickinson College
Grad rate80%Admit rate42.1%Enrollment2,314Net price$37,607View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
Franklin and Marshall College
Grad rate84%Admit rate28.2%Enrollment1,808Net price$36,425View data - BaccalaureateNew York
Hamilton College
Grad rate91%Admit rate13.6%Enrollment2,031Net price$28,985View data - BaccalaureateMinnesota
Macalester College
Grad rate87%Admit rate28.5%Enrollment2,138Net price$32,149View data - BaccalaureateOhio
Oberlin College
Grad rate81%Admit rate34.2%Enrollment2,909Net price$38,645View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Pitzer College
Grad rate83%Admit rate25.2%Enrollment1,242Net price$34,191View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Pomona College
Grad rate93%Admit rate7.1%Enrollment1,700Net price$19,285View data - BaccalaureateOregon
Reed College
Grad rate71%Admit rate24.6%Enrollment1,358Net price$33,013View data - BaccalaureateTennessee
Rhodes College
Grad rate85%Admit rate50.4%Enrollment1,861Net price$28,585View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Scripps College
Grad rate83%Admit rate38.3%Enrollment1,137Net price$36,294View data - BaccalaureateNew York
Skidmore College
Grad rate83%Admit rate21.1%Enrollment2,704Net price$32,297View data - BaccalaureateConnecticut
Trinity College
Grad rate84%Admit rate29.2%Enrollment2,238Net price$34,832View data - BaccalaureateNew York
Union College
Grad rate80%Admit rate43.9%Enrollment2,065Net price$34,561View data - BaccalaureateWashington
Whitman College
Grad rate81%Admit rate38.1%Enrollment1,561Net price$33,313View data
Occidental College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The mission of the Office of Institutional Research is to provide and to coordinate accurate and reliable data to support decision-making, assessment, and planning activities aimed at fulfilling the stated mission and goals of Occidental College.
Visit IR office page- Jackie CameronDirector, Institutional Research and Planning
Common Data Set
Occidental College's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardoxy.edu
- Data definitionCommon Data SetThe Occidental College Common Data Set page is part of the Institutional Research section, which includes reports on general information, enrollment, admissions, academic offerings, and other educational data. The Common Data Set initiative aims to standardize data reporting and improve information accuracy, benefiting students and reducing the burden on institutions.oxy.edu
- Data dictionaryInstitutional Data2026Occidental College's Institutional Research office maintains a repository of aggregate statistics and information about various aspects of the college, including students, faculty and staff, alumni, and compliance with federal and state reporting requirements, including accreditation. It provides data for both internal and external purposes, such as IPEDS, Factbook, and the Common Data Set. The page outlines the timeline for the release of various reports throughout the academic year.oxy.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookOccidental College Factbook2025The Occidental College Factbook provides a collection of common aggregate statistics for the fall semester over the past 5 years. Key sections cover enrollment, graduation rates, degrees conferred, faculty demographics, and financials.oxy.edu
- Strategic planThe Occidental Promise2023The Occidental Promise is Occidental College's strategic plan guiding their work through 2030, formulated after an extensive 18-month collaboration. It centers around three core promises: ensuring academic excellence, building unique partnerships with Los Angeles, and fostering holistic student education and community renewal. The strategic plan includes expanding faculty, immersive education, partnerships, and initiatives to support student well-being and inclusion.oxy.edu
Notable alumni of Occidental College (33)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- John BrancaBusiness and industry
- Stephen CooperBusiness and industry
- Marsha J. EvansBusiness and industry
- Terry GilliamEntertainment and the arts
- Ben AffleckEntertainment and the arts
- Michael Angelo CovinoEntertainment and the arts
- Gabriela CowperthwaiteEntertainment and the arts
- Emily OsmentEntertainment and the arts
- Pete McCloskeyGovernment, diplomacy, and law
- Barack ObamaGovernment, diplomacy, and law
- Janette Sadik-KhanGovernment, diplomacy, and law
- Alphonzo E. Bell, Jr.Government, diplomacy, and law
Frequently asked questions about Occidental College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Occidental College.
What is the acceptance rate at Occidental College?
What is the graduation rate at Occidental College?
How many students attend Occidental College?
What is the average net price at Occidental College?
What is the yield rate at Occidental College?
Where is Occidental College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Occidental College?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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