Whittier College

www.whittier.edu

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$48,924

3.01% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$26,363

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

3.55%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

57.1%

7,233 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

1,841

95.8% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

65.5%

266 Graduates

About

Whittier College is a higher education institution located in Los Angeles County, CA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Whittier College were General Business Administration & Management (73 degrees awarded), Kinesiology & Exercise Science (41 degrees), and General Psychology (33 degrees).

In 2019, 485 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Whittier College. 64.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 35.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (243 degrees), 1.68 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (145 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Whittier College is $48,924, which is $21,644 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($27,280).

Photo by The Good Doctor

Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Whittier College is $48,924, which is $21,644 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($27,280).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $26,363.

In 2019, 95% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 69% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$48,924

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Whittier College was $48,924. The cost of tuition at Whittier College is $21,644 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($27,280).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Whittier College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$26,363

2019 Value

1.11%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Whittier College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,363. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Whittier College grew by 1.11%.

This chart compares the average net price of Whittier College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,371

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Whittier College was of $11,371 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of room and board increased by 6.72% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies increased by 25% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Whittier College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

95%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

69%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

95% of undergraduate students at Whittier College received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 2.15% with respect to 2018, when 93% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Whittier College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

3.55%

2017 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Whittier College was 3.55%, which represents 22 out of the 619 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Whittier College received 7,233 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 16.3% annual growth. Out of those 7,233 applicants, 4,131 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 57.1% acceptance rate.

There were 1,841 students enrolled at Whittier College in 2019, and 79% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Whittier College has an overall enrollment yield of 11.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

57.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

4,131

Accepted Out of 7,233

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Whittier College was 57.1% (4,131 admissions from 7,233 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 75.9%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants grew by 16.3%, while admissions declined by −12.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Whittier College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

79%

Submission Percentage

388

Scores Submitted

79% of enrolled first-time students at Whittier College in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Whittier College has a total enrollment of 1,841 students. The full-time enrollment at Whittier College is 1,763 students and the part-time enrollment is 78. This means that 95.8% of students enrolled at Whittier College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Whittier College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 51.2% Hispanic or Latino, 24.9% White, 7.12% Two or More Races, 6.95% Asian, 4.83% Black or African American, 0.38% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.272% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Whittier College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (31.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (20.2%) and White Female (13%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (33.3%), followed by White Female (26.7%) and White Male (20%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

95.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Whittier College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,841 students. The full-time enrollment at Whittier College is 1,763 and the part-time enrollment is 78. This means that 95.8% of students enrolled at Whittier College are enrolled full-time compared with 81.1% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Whittier College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

79%

2019 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Whittier College was 79%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (73%), Whittier College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Whittier College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
942
White
458
Two or More Races
131

The enrolled student population at Whittier College is 51.2% Hispanic or Latino, 24.9% White, 7.12% Two or More Races, 6.95% Asian, 4.83% Black or African American, 0.38% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.272% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 55% White, 14% Black or African American, and 13.1% Hispanic or Latino.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 21 students (1.14%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 141 more women than men received degrees from Whittier College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Whittier College is hispanic or latino (243 degrees awarded). There were 1.68 times more hispanic or latino graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (145 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Whittier College is General Business Administration & Management (73 degrees awarded), followed by Kinesiology & Exercise Science (41 degrees) and General Psychology (33 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Whittier College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (50 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (22 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (41 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whittier College are Elementary & middle school teachers (164,288 people), Secondary school teachers (112,396 people), Postsecondary teachers (107,800 people), Other managers (103,234 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (101,120 people).

The most specialized majors at Whittier College are Legal (50 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (22 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (41 degrees), Human Sciences (27 degrees), and English (27 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Dentists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whittier College are Dentists, Surgeons, Aircraft pilots & flight engineers, Physicians, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whittier College are Elementary & secondary schools (410,666 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (229,720 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (119,314 people), Legal services (99,061 people), and Computer Systems Design (77,077 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Whittier College.

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
73 degree-majorss awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
41 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
33 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Whittier College was General Business Administration & Management with 73 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Whittier College according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

172

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

313

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 172 degrees were awarded to men at Whittier College, which is 0.55 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (313).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at Whittier College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 48 degrees were awarded to men at Whittier College in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.92 times more than the 25 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 31 degrees were awarded to women at Whittier College in Law, which is 1.63 times more than the 19 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

62%

100% Completion Time

69%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 62% of students graduating from Whittier College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 69% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 70% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Two or More Races Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Whittier College is Female and Two or More Races (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0% of graduates (0 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
243 degrees awarded
White
145 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
32 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Whittier College is hispanic or latino (243 degrees awarded). There were 1.68 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (145 degrees).

1.03% of degree recipients (5 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

Hispanic or Latino Female
166 degrees awarded
White Female
87 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Male
77 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Whittier College is hispanic or latino female (166 degrees awarded). There were 1.91 times more hispanic or latino female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (87 degrees).

Operations

Whittier College has an endowment valued at nearly $119M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $7.14M (5.99%), compared to the 3.99% average return ($1.62M on $40.7M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2019, Whittier College had a total salary expenditure of $70.5M. Whittier College employs 42 Associate professors, 39 Professors, and 36 Assistant professors. Most academics at Whittier College are Male Professors (23), Female Associate professors(22), and Male Associate professors (20).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Whittier College are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 75 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 50 employees, and Management with 44 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$119M

2019 Endowment

1.99%

growth from 2018

Whittier College has an endowment valued at about $119M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Whittier College grew 1.99% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $78.6M higher than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Whittier College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$1.07M - Federal
$45.8k - State
$0 - Local

As of 2019, Whittier College received $1.07M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $45.8k from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$29.9M

2019 Salaries

14.5%

decline from 2018

In 2019, Whittier College paid a median of $29.9M in salaries, which represents 42.4% of their overall expenditure ($70.5M) and a 14.5% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 14.4% decline from 2017 and a 18.7% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.5M (41% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$10.5M

Instructional Salaries

126

Number of Employees

In 2019, Whittier College paid a total of $10.5M to 126 employees working as instructors, which represents 35% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.89M (31.6%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

42 Employees

Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

75 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Whittier College were Associate professor with 42 employees; Professor with 39 employees; and Professor with 36 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Whittier College were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 75 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 50 employees; and Management with 44 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Associate professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Whittier College was Male Professor with 23 employees, Female Associate professor with 22 employees, and Male Associate professor with 20 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at Whittier College.

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