Admit rate has ranged 37%–41% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Occidental College is a small, selective liberal arts college with an urban edge—the only one of its kind in Los Angeles. Known for its strong academics, social justice ethos, and tight-knit community, Oxy offers students the intimacy of a liberal arts education with the resources and opportunities of a major city. With a graduation rate of 83% and median earnings of $68,467, it punches above its weight in outcomes.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
1,877
In-state tuition
$66,274
Out-of-state tuition
$66,274
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Notable Fact
Only small liberal arts college in Los Angeles
Acceptance Rate
44.9%
Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
83%
Median Earnings (10 Yrs)
$68,467
Average Financial Aid Package
$59,821
Early Decision Acceptance Rate
65%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$75,951
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.0×
Median debt at graduation
$23,000
Graduation rate
81%
First-year retention
90%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
88%
Pell (lower-income) share
42%
First-generation share
18%
Endowment / student
$348,587
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Mathematics$57,318
Economics$55,078
Sociology$41,565
Area Studies$39,369
Political Science and Government$37,779
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$37,208
International Relations and National Security Studies
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
2
Per 1,000 students
1.07
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
207
Summer high
87°F
Winter low
45°F
Annual rain
24.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Very High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
152
Scholarly works
4,627
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
3.3%
Bottom → top quintile
39%
From bottom quintile
9%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Occidental College?
Occidental College's acceptance rate is approximately 44% (Los Angeles, CA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Occidental College?
Admitted students at Occidental College typically score 1380–1520 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Occidental College cost?
At Occidental College, the average net price (after aid) is about $38,263 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Occidental College?
Occidental College enrolls approximately 1,877 undergraduate students.
Where is Occidental College located?
Occidental College is located in Los Angeles, CA.
Admissions
Occidental is selective but not cutthroat, with an overall Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. of 44.9% (65% for Early Decision applicants vs. 44.6% for Regular Decision). The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1400–1510 on the SAT or equivalent on the ACT. The college received 6,305 applications for the most recent cycle, admitting 2,484 students. Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. since before the pandemic, Oxy emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone.—though applying ED significantly boosts your odds.
Oxy offers over 45 majors and minors with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and undergraduate research. The curriculum is classic liberal arts—think critical thinking, clear communication, and creative problem-solving—but with a distinctly L.A. twist. Standout programs include Media Arts & Culture and Theater & Performance Studies, with many students doubling up. Faculty mentorship is a hallmark: one Reddit poster calls professors 'caring and supportive,' while a Quora contributor notes 'academics came first' even for athletes.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$36,132
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$35,060
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Life at Oxy balances cozy campus vibes with L.A.'s endless possibilities. The 120-acre campus is 'beautiful' (per Reddit), with most students living on campus all four years. Social life revolves around sports houses and the school's one fraternity—'house parties that a lot of people go to,' as one student puts it. The community is 'small and tight-knit' (Niche), though the city provides an easy escape. A YouTube 'day in the life' shows students juggling classes, on-campus jobs, and downtown internships—all before sunset.
Oxy delivers strong ROI: an 83% graduation rate (well above the 59% national midpoint) and median earnings of $68,467 a decade out. The college ranks highly for economic mobility, with 40% of its score in one study based on outcomes like alumni salaries and loan repayment. Early career earnings start at $37,306, jumping to $64,966 by year five—outpacing national averages. Debt at graduation is a manageable $23,000 median (31st percentile among peers).
Sticker price is steep—$47,113 after aid for the average student—but 47% receive financial aid, with packages averaging $59,821. Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculators estimate $35,513-$44,853 annually after grants. The school emphasizes that 'most students receive some form of aid,' including need-based scholarships. One insider notes the administration is 'supportive' in navigating costs, though the L.A. location means off-campus expenses add up.
Occidental is a unicorn: a small liberal arts college where you can debate Foucault over breakfast, then intern at a Hollywood studio by afternoon. Its blend of academic rigor (85% graduation rate), social justice focus, and urban access creates alums who thrive in creative and unconventional careers. The vibe is 'collaborative, not competitive'—a place where professors know your name, but the whole city is your campus. For students who want the close-knit community of a liberal arts school without sacrificing big-city opportunities, there's literally no other option like it.
Occidental College logo · sourceOur Campus | Occidental College · sourceOur Campus | Occidental College · sourceOccidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles · source
