Whittier College vs Willamette University

Whittier College and Willamette University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Whittier College, nestled in the vibrant city of Whittier, California, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on the liberal arts. Willamette University, located in the charming city of Salem, Oregon, is known for its rigorous academics and its commitment to sustainability. With acceptance rates of 68% and 63%, respectively, both universities offer competitive admissions processes. While Whittier College excels in majors like Business, Psychology, and Biology, Willamette University shines in fields such as Law, Politics, and Environmental Science. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' unique offerings, including student demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your college decision.
Whittier College logo

Whittier College

Willamette University logo

Willamette University

Overview

Location Whittier, California Salem, Oregon
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 80.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.5% 79.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $70
SAT range 1120 - 1340 N/A
ACT range 23 - 28 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 11.0%
Students submitting ACT score 9.0%
Total number of applicants 2,884 3,680
Total number of admissions given out 2,379 2,930
Admitted students who chose to enroll 277 260
Yield rate 11.6% 8.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $61,014 $60,106
Average net price $22,091 $37,400
Tuition $48,924 $43,500
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,216

Meal plan: $6,756
Room/dormitory: $7,150

Meal plan: $6,650
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $32,645
99.0%
Average amount $30,413
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $5,040
50.0%
Average amount $5,145
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $17,379
7.0%
Average amount $15,973

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,325
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
1,236
Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
Graduate students 62
Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
549
Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 6.3% 2.4%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 849 1,228
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 63.6% 72.0%
Dropout rate 3.6% 28.0%
Transferred out 31.9% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,282
  • Year 2: $41,689
  • Year 3: $64,434
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,241
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $59,453
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,364
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $54,567
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,650
  • Year 2: $35,914
  • Year 3: $47,815
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,730
  • Year 2: $28,309
  • Year 3: $42,330
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,976
  • Year 2: $14,935
  • Year 3: $38,238
Social Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,267
  • Year 2: $26,715
  • Year 3: $37,247
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,562
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: $35,879
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,185
  • Year 2: $16,015
  • Year 3: $34,329
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,103
  • Year 2: $27,765
  • Year 3: $30,273
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,562
  • Year 2: $73,530
  • Year 3: $85,115
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,741
  • Year 2: $49,102
  • Year 3: $65,240
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,509
  • Year 2: $39,909
  • Year 3: $57,544
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,011
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $48,905
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,615
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $41,516
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,482
  • Year 2: $27,204
  • Year 3: $39,994
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,357
  • Year 2: $28,055
  • Year 3: $36,208
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: $33,257
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,292
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $32,785
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,658
  • Year 3: $29,070

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