Whittier College vs Pacific University

Whittier College and Pacific University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Whittier College, nestled in the vibrant city of Whittier, California, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 67%. Pacific University, located in the charming town of Forest Grove, Oregon, welcomes a broader range of applicants, reflected in its higher acceptance rate of 80%. While Whittier College's student body is predominantly composed of undergraduates, Pacific University offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further distinctions, including popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Pacific University logo

Pacific University

Whittier College logo

Whittier College

Overview

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

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.0% 82.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $39
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $70
SAT range 1090 - 1310 1120 - 1340
ACT range 19 - 27 23 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 8.0% 11.0%
Students submitting ACT score 9.0% 9.0%
Total number of applicants 2,266 2,884
Total number of admissions given out 2,063 2,379
Admitted students who chose to enroll 363 277
Yield rate 17.6% 11.6%
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 $62,348 $61,014
Average net price $33,523 $22,091
Tuition $48,928 $48,924
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,664

Meal plan: $6,228
Room/dormitory: $8,216

Meal plan: $6,756
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $31,162
97.0%
Average amount $32,645
Students receiving federal student loan 90.0%
Average amount $5,415
65.0%
Average amount $5,040
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $20,429
6.0%
Average amount $17,379

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,741
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
1,325
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
Graduate students 2,010
Men 26.2% Women 73.8%
62
Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 61.2% N/A
International students 3.8% 6.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,029 849
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Oregon Hawaii California Washington Colorado N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Psychology
  • English Language and Literature
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 70.8% 63.6%
Dropout rate 29.0% 3.6%
Transferred out N/A 31.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,515
  • Year 2: $129,325
  • Year 3: $130,721
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $113,746
  • Year 2: $107,906
  • Year 3: $116,376
Optometry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,820
  • Year 2: $97,452
  • Year 3: $109,879
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,614
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $87,418
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,156
  • Year 2: $70,927
  • Year 3: $74,952
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,477
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $70,585
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,338
  • Year 2: $53,608
  • Year 3: $54,996
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,884
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $50,195
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,734
  • Year 2: $39,153
  • Year 3: $45,266
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,418
  • Year 2: $44,468
  • Year 3: $42,720
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

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