Whittier College vs Williams College

Whittier College and Williams College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Whittier College, nestled in the vibrant city of Whittier, California, boasts an acceptance rate of 68%, while Williams College, located in the picturesque town of Williamstown, Massachusetts, maintains a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 13%. Both colleges offer a diverse range of academic programs, with Whittier College excelling in fields such as business, education, and nursing, and Williams College renowned for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. While Whittier College's student body is predominantly composed of local students, Williams College attracts a more geographically diverse student population. With graduation rates of 75% and 96% respectively, both colleges prioritize student success and provide ample resources to support their students' academic and personal growth. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the unique characteristics of each institution and determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Whittier College logo

Whittier College

Williams College logo

Williams College

Overview

Location Whittier, California Williamstown, Massachusetts
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.5% 8.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $70
$65
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 12,452
Total number of admissions given out 2,379 1,099
Admitted students who chose to enroll 277 574
Yield rate 11.6% 52.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $61,014 $78,060
Average net price $22,091 $14,487
Tuition $48,924 $59,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,216

Meal plan: $6,756
Room/dormitory: $7,625

Meal plan: $7,375
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $32,645
52.0%
Average amount $52,053
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $5,040
13.0%
Average amount $3,992
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $17,379
2.0%
Average amount $3,884

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,325
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
2,174
Men 48.1% Women 51.9%
Graduate students 62
Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
50
Men 44.0% Women 56.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 6.3% 9.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 849 2,045
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
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
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 63.6% 93.8%
Dropout rate 3.6% 3.1%
Transferred out 31.9% 1.6%
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
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,470
  • Year 2: $96,183
  • Year 3: $99,047
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,280
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $91,723
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,217
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $63,034
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,948
  • Year 2: $44,384
  • Year 3: $48,967
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,036
  • Year 2: $49,464
  • Year 3: $44,771
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,993
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $43,402
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,135
  • Year 2: $40,461
  • Year 3: $41,065
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,760
  • Year 2: $34,704
  • Year 3: $37,587
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,029
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $26,432
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,668
  • Year 2: $25,525
  • Year 3: $14,771

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