Whittier College
About
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California, United States. Founded by Quakers in 1887, it is a federally-designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. As of fall 2025, it had 797 undergraduate and graduate students. Whittier athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III.
Admissions funnel
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Outcomes & equity
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 2.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
What families actually pay
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.
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Whittier College vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions Whittier 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectWhittier College | 60% | 80.8% | 795 | $29,871 | Baccalaureate |
Austin College | 67% | 47.7% | 1,217 | $23,451 | Baccalaureate |
Bard College | 68% | 52.1% | 2,911 | $31,771 | Baccalaureate |
Earlham College | 69% | 73.1% | 753 | $24,516 | Baccalaureate |
Goucher College | 57% | 77.7% | 1,459 | $23,774 | Baccalaureate |
Guilford College | 46% | 80.0% | 1,180 | $21,200 | Baccalaureate |
Hollins University | 65% | 68.0% | 761 | $22,263 | Baccalaureate |
Knox College | 68% | 70.8% | 1,136 | $24,875 | Baccalaureate |
Lake Forest College | 78% | 56.8% | 1,837 | $27,499 | Baccalaureate |
Millsaps College | 57% | 43.1% | 593 | $25,291 | Baccalaureate |
Occidental College | 81% | 44.2% | 1,881 | $39,329 | Baccalaureate |
Pitzer College | 83% | 25.2% | 1,242 | $31,663 | Baccalaureate |
Randolph College | 46% | 93.7% | 816 | $18,436 | Baccalaureate |
Southwestern University | 73% | 43.1% | 1,440 | $27,468 | Baccalaureate |
Ursinus College | 73% | 91.8% | 1,502 | $30,485 | Baccalaureate |
Wofford College | 84% | 51.9% | 1,817 | $28,984 | Baccalaureate |
| Peer group median | 68% | 62.4% | 1,230 | $26,380 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness supports the mission and strategic values of the college through a culture of evidence-based planning. The mission is to provide timely, accurate, and unbiased data to support strategic planning and to facilitate the assessment work of faculty and administrators.
Visit IR office pageCommon Data Set (11)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Documents & reports (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFact Book 2024-20252024The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at Whittier College maintains the Fact Book and other resources containing institutional data on students, faculty, and staff. These resources are designed to assist with planning, assessment, and continuous improvement efforts for the college.whittier.edu
Notable alumni (10)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Richard M. NixonPolitics and Law
- Zilpha (Keatley) SnyderEntertainment, Arts, and Literature
- Arthur Allan SeidelmanEntertainment, Arts, and Literature
- Cheryl Boone IsaacsEntertainment, Arts, and Literature
- Fred AndersonBusiness and Industry
- Jessamyn WestEntertainment, Arts, and Literature
- Howard HouseScience, Medicine, and Biotechnology
- Abdullah AlirezaPolitics and Law
- Linda BiehlSocial Advocacy and Service
- Guy WebsterEntertainment, Arts, and Literature
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