Whittier College

What are the graduation rates for students at Whittier College?

Whittier College's reported four-year graduation rate is 53%, while its six-year rate is 60%. These are cohort measures: they follow groups of first-time, full-time students entering for a bachelor's degree, not everyone who enrolls, including transfer or part-time students.

The seven-percentage-point difference indicates that some students completed after year four. It does not explain why others did not complete at Whittier; students who transfer elsewhere, for example, are not counted as Whittier graduates in this measure. The reported first-year retention rate is 66%, which measures a different outcome: whether first-time students return the following fall. Together, the figures are useful questions for an applicant to bring to academic advising, particularly about course availability and support during the first year.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Whittier College?

Program-level College Scorecard figures give a limited view of earnings roughly one year after completion for graduates whose earnings can be measured in the underlying data. They are not starting-salary offers, and they do not predict what an individual Whittier graduate will earn.

For fields with reported figures, the one-year earnings measures include $36,650 for business administration, $30,364 for political science and government, and $27,562 for psychology. Reported measures are lower for some other fields, including $22,976 for biology and $22,750 for English. These comparisons require care: graduates may work in different occupations, study further, or live in regions with different wages. Small program cohorts and privacy restrictions can also limit what is published. Students comparing majors should weigh these figures alongside likely graduate-school requirements, career interests, and borrowing costs.