Class Profile & College Highlights

Whittier College is a residential four-year liberal arts institution that prepares students from diverse backgrounds to excel in a complex global society.

Through challenging, interactive courses taught by accomplished professors, students learn to make connections across disciplines, understand cultural perspectives, and integrate learning with practical application. Inspired by a Quaker heritage, the Whittier education equips students to be active citizens and 

Applications

  • Total Applications: 4,521
    • First-Year: 4,276
    • Transfer: 245
  • Total Admits: 3,856
    • First-Year: 3,665
    • Transfer: 190
  • Total Enrollment: 291
    • First-Year: 209
    • Transfer: 82

Admitted Student Academic Middle 50% Ranges 

  • First-Year WC GPA (Grades 9-11, weighted): 3.73 - 4.0
  • Transfer GPA: 3.0 - 3.75

Enrolled Geographic Distribution 

  • California: 67%
  • Other US: 3%
  • Outside of US (24 Countries): 30%

By the Numbers

  • Founded in 1887

  • Located in Whittier, California (18 miles southeast of Downtown Los Angeles, 16 miles northwest of Anaheim)

  • Campus size: over 75 acres

  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 767

  • Graduate Enrollment: 62

  • Average Classroom Size: 11 students (50% of classes have less than 20)

  • Student to Faculty Ratio: 8 to 1

  • Top 5 States

    • California

    • Washington

    • Oregon

    • Colorado

    • Nevada

  • Top 5 Countries

    • ​​​​​​​Peru

    • France

    • Spain

    • Vietnam

    • Sweden

    • Ethiopia

Rankings and Recognition

  • 16th in top liberal arts college in California for social mobility, U.S. News & World Report 2025

NCAA Affiliation

Division III

Conference

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)

Mascot

Johnny Poet/The Poets

Men’s Sports

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Soccer
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Tennis
  • Track and Field
  • Water Polo
  • Club Lacrosse

Women’s Sports

  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Tennis
  • Track and Field
  • Volleyball
  • Water Polo

Explore Whittier College

Whittier offers over 50+ majors and concentrations, including the option to design your own major. Our students thrive both in the classroom and on the field. Explore our programs and see if Whittier can be a fit for you.