More selective than 74% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $84,800. College Scorecard.
Higher than 77% of California colleges we cover and 90% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 75% of California colleges we cover and 90% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Occidental College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,573 applicants, Occidental College admitted 2,622 and 532 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1380–1520 on the SAT or 31–34 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Occidental College tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
Occidental College majors, earnings & careers
Occidental College offers 31 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Science & Math · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Business & Finance · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Occidental College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $103,164 | $25,590 |
| Mathematics | $88,080 | — |
| Cognitive Science | $78,782 | — |
| Political Science | $72,441 | $25,700 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $71,779 | — |
| International Relations | $70,394 | $19,275 |
| Biology | $59,985 | $26,272 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $59,542 | — |
Quick list of all 31 majors
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$59,985
- Chemistry—
- Cognitive Science$78,782
- Computer Science—
- Cultural Studies / Critical Theory and Analysis—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$103,164
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$59,542
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International Relations$70,394
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics$88,080
- Music—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$72,441
- Psychology$56,800
- Psychology (Research)—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology$58,598
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$71,779
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Los Angeles
Overall prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,964. Housing costs 70% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 20 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); wildfire (very high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Los Angeles County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Los Angeles County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Occidental College with similar schools
Similar private colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental College | 44% | $38,263 | 81% | $75,951 | This school |
| Scripps College | 38% | $36,294 | 83% | $77,539 | |
| Casa Loma College-Los Angeles | 43% | $27,596 | 73% | $49,854 | |
| SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary | 41% | $21,680 | 85% | $35,418 | |
| Soka University of America | 43% | $18,260 | 92% | $55,017 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Occidental College would cost you $1,969 more per year than Scripps College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Occidental College, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$2,714).
- Scripps College gives aided families $4,733 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | Occidental College | Scripps College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $66,274 | $65,950 | +$324 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $800 | +$440 |
| Housing & meals | $18,284 | $20,998 | −$2,714 |
| Personal & travel | $1,830 | $2,000 | −$170 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,828 | −$2,184 | −$644 |
| Sticker price | $84,800 | $87,564 | −$2,764 |
| Average grants | −$46,537 | −$51,270 | +$4,733 |
| You pay | $38,263 | $36,294 | +$1,969 |
“+” means Occidental College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Occidental College
What is the Occidental College acceptance rate?
Occidental College accepts 44% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,622 of 6,573 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1380–1520 on the SAT or 31–34 on the ACT.
How much does Occidental College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $84,800 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $38,263 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $20,705 and families earning $110k+ pay $54,959.
How much do Occidental College graduates earn?
Former Occidental College students earn a median $75,951 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Occidental College graduation rate?
81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 90% return for their second year.
Is Occidental College the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Occidental College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/occidental-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).