Occidental College vs St. John's College

Occidental College and St. John's College, two esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Occidental, located in Los Angeles, California, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, with popular majors including Economics, Psychology, and Biology. St. John's, with campuses in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, emphasizes a rigorous Great Books curriculum, fostering critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. While Occidental boasts a higher acceptance rate, St. John's maintains a smaller student body, providing a more intimate learning environment. Both colleges offer strong graduation rates, preparing students for successful careers or further education. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Occidental College logo

Occidental College

St. John's College logo

St. John's College

Overview

Location Los Angeles, California Santa Fe, New Mexico
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
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 92.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 38.2% 62.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1340 - 1490 1280 - 1470
ACT range 30 - 33 25 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 23.0%
Students submitting ACT score 22.0% 7.0%
Total number of applicants 6,495 456
Total number of admissions given out 2,484 286
Admitted students who chose to enroll 535 119
Yield rate 21.5% 41.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not 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 $77,878 $51,688
Average net price $43,047 $25,628
Tuition $57,830 $35,000
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,512

Meal plan: $8,090
Room/dormitory: $7,446

Meal plan: $6,832
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $29,715
81.0%
Average amount $21,782
Students receiving federal student loan 31.0%
Average amount $4,603
52.0%
Average amount $4,431
Students taking out private loans 17.0%
Average amount $6,554
2.0%
Average amount $26,797

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,964
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
368
Men 51.1% Women 48.9%
Graduate students N/A 81
Men 61.7% Women 38.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 62.5% N/A
International students 6.3% 14.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,650 375
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington New York Illinois Mississippi N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 82.9% 71.6%
Dropout rate 4.1% 9.5%
Transferred out 12.6% 17.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,522
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $21,349
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,832
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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