Whittier College Acceptance Rate
Whittier, California · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 2,797
- Admitted
- 2,388
- Yield
- 6.1%
- Test policy
- Test-blind
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Whittier College's acceptance rate has risen from 61.9% in 2014–15 to 85.4% in 2023–24. Applications fell from 4,850 to 2,797 (-42%) over that period.
Its 85.4% rate makes Whittier College more selective than about 31% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 84 tracked California schools, it is more selective than about 30%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (87.2% for women vs 84.2% for men, a 3-point gap). Whittier College has been test-blind (scores not considered) since 2023–24. Of admitted students, 6.1% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 4,850 | 3,001 | 61.9% | 388 |
| 2015–16 | 5,192 | 3,251 | 62.6% | 445 |
| 2016–17 | 5,146 | 3,574 | 69.5% | 426 |
| 2017–18 | 5,773 | 4,277 | 74.1% | 520 |
| 2018–19 | 6,220 | 4,724 | 75.9% | 512 |
| 2019–20 | 7,233 | 4,131 | 57.1% | 493 |
| 2020–21 | 5,038 | 3,644 | 72.3% | 239 |
| 2021–22 | 2,884 | 2,379 | 82.5% | 277 |
| 2022–23 | 3,014 | 2,274 | 75.4% | 249 |
| 2023–24 | 2,797 | 2,388 | 85.4% | 145 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,391 | 1,213 | 87.2% |
| Men | 1,365 | 1,149 | 84.2% |
| Unknown | 41 | 26 | 63.4% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-blind (not considered).
How Whittier College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Whittier College's acceptance rate?
Whittier College's acceptance rate is 85.4% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (2,388 admitted of 2,797 applicants).
Is Whittier College test optional?
Whittier College is test-blind: SAT/ACT scores are not considered in admission.
How many people apply to Whittier College?
Whittier College received 2,797 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 2,388.
Is Whittier College getting harder to get into?
Whittier College has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 61.9% in 2014–15 to 85.4% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.whittier.edu/.