Gordon College vs Occidental College

Gordon College and Occidental College, two distinct institutions with unique offerings, stand ready to shape the academic journeys of prospective students. Gordon College, rooted in Christian values, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on liberal arts education. Occidental College, on the other hand, prides itself on its progressive approach, diverse student body, and emphasis on social justice. While both colleges share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Gordon College logo

Gordon College

Occidental College logo

Occidental College

Overview

Location Wenham, Massachusetts Los Angeles, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Interdenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.4% 38.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1153 - 1370 1340 - 1490
ACT range 24 - 30 30 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 24.0% 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 8.0% 22.0%
Total number of applicants 1,462 6,495
Total number of admissions given out 1,132 2,484
Admitted students who chose to enroll 317 535
Yield rate 28.0% 21.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $40,910 $77,878
Average net price $25,917 $43,047
Tuition $25,250 $57,830
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,480

Meal plan: $4,220
Room/dormitory: $9,512

Meal plan: $8,090
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $26,364
100.0%
Average amount $29,715
Students receiving federal student loan 68.0%
Average amount $7,144
31.0%
Average amount $4,603
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $14,683
17.0%
Average amount $6,554

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,368
Men 39.5% Women 60.5%
1,964
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
Graduate students 436
Men 26.4% Women 73.6%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 62.5%
International students 8.4% 6.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,390 1,650
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Mississippi Connecticut New Hampshire New York New Jersey California Washington New York Illinois Mississippi

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.1% 82.9%
Dropout rate 27.7% 4.1%
Transferred out N/A 12.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,771
  • Year 2: $46,556
  • Year 3: $51,827
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,003
  • Year 2: $27,681
  • Year 3: $42,021
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,123
  • Year 2: $35,954
  • Year 3: $41,684
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,092
  • Year 2: $31,038
  • Year 3: $36,135
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,785
  • Year 2: $33,459
  • Year 3: $33,409
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,365
  • Year 2: $30,228
  • Year 3: $32,774
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,486
  • Year 2: $30,988
  • Year 3: $32,663
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,082
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: $27,417
Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,219
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,587
  • Year 2: $27,439
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,544
  • Year 2: $55,078
  • Year 3: $63,231
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,360
  • Year 2: $37,779
  • Year 3: $49,843
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,329
  • Year 2: $36,132
  • Year 3: $45,083
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,948
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $43,488
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $33,877
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $31,152
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,035
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $31,095
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,916
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $30,729
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,793
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: N/A

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