More selective than 44% 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 $71,150. College Scorecard.
Higher than 68% of California colleges we cover and 79% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 53% of California colleges we cover and 79% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Westmont College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,244 applicants, Westmont College admitted 1,792 and 320 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1240–1450 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Westmont 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
Westmont College majors, earnings & careers
Westmont College offers 29 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 9
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Engineering · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Westmont College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Economics | $84,815 | $25,000 |
| Biology | $75,889 | $23,250 |
| Communications | $62,535 | $23,250 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $61,939 | $19,500 |
| English | $58,459 | $26,388 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $56,878 | $24,250 |
| Psychology | $45,455 | $25,500 |
Quick list of all 29 majors
- Anthropology—
- Biology$75,889
- Business Economics$84,815
- Chemistry—
- Communications$62,535
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Engineering—
- Engineering Physics—
- English$58,459
- Film and Photography—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$56,878
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$61,939
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$45,455
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- 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 →Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Living in Santa Maria
Overall prices in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $3,106. Housing costs 51% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 19 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Santa Barbara County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Santa Barbara County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Westmont 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmont College | 77% | $29,053 | 70% | $64,778 | This school |
| Otis College of Art and Design | 82% | $51,248 | 66% | $58,152 | |
| Southern California Institute of Architecture | 77% | $43,923 | 71% | $71,909 | |
| California Lutheran University | 76% | $30,109 | 70% | $68,712 | |
| The Master's University and Seminary | 84% | $32,647 | 68% | $57,106 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Westmont College would cost you $22,195 less per year than Otis College of Art and Design, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Westmont College, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$3,232).
- Westmont College gives aided families $17,484 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | Westmont College | Otis College of Art and Design | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $53,584 | $56,488 | −$2,904 |
| Books & supplies | $1,600 | $938 | +$662 |
| Housing & meals | $16,360 | $17,262 | −$902 |
| Personal & travel | $1,400 | $4,632 | −$3,232 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,794 | −$3,459 | +$1,665 |
| Sticker price | $71,150 | $75,861 | −$4,711 |
| Average grants | −$42,097 | −$24,613 | −$17,484 |
| You pay | $29,053 | $51,248 | −$22,195 |
“+” means Westmont 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 Westmont College
What is the Westmont College acceptance rate?
Westmont College accepts 77% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,792 of 2,244 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1240–1450 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
How much does Westmont College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $71,150 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $29,053 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $20,899 and families earning $110k+ pay $38,124.
How much do Westmont College graduates earn?
Former Westmont College students earn a median $64,778 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Westmont College graduation rate?
70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year.
Is Westmont 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: “Westmont College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/westmont-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).