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Occidental College

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-24T10:00:00
Location: Occidental College

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Los Angeles, California 90041-3392

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Campus Vibe

Tight-knitUrbanGreek life

Strong graduate outcomes

Occidental College is a private institution in Los Angeles with particular strength in biology and psychology. With an average SAT of 1461, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.8K undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

85% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $75,951 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $39,329.

Established

1887

Motto

Occidens Proximus Orienti

Mascot

Oswald the Tiger

Type

Private liberal arts college

Conference

SCIAC and NCAA Division III

Division

Division III

Campus Visits

20 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

16 more tours beyond 5 daysGet access →

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40%Acceptance

1461SAT Avg

1,844Students

9:1Student:Faculty

85%Grad Rate

$75,951Earnings 10yr

$39,329Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Occidental College Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate39.9%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1461

Reading & WritingMid: 705

690750

MathMid: 710

670750

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 32

3134

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

39.9%

Trend

SAT Avg

1461

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$63,446

Room & Board$18,284

Books & Supplies$1,240

Total Cost of Attendance$80,636

Average Net Price$39,329

Median Debt at Graduation$23,000

Monthly Payment (10yr)$244

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$18,872

$30–48K$18,801

$48–75K$17,577

$75–110K$28,983

$110K+$55,885

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$39,329

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

6100.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$19,000

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

Peer Average

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

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Programs (32)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

1,844

Gender Split

59% / 41%

Women / Men

First Generation

18%

Pell Grant Recipients

16%

Race & Ethnicity

White 48%

Black 4%

Hispanic 17%

Asian 13%

Two+ 11%

Int'l 4%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate85.1%

Freshman Retention87.2%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$52,209

8 Years$64,002

10 Years$75,951

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$55,600

Men

$64,700

Rankings

U.S. News

#34

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Forbes

#102

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Wall Street Journal

#29

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Washington Monthly

#46

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More About This School

Varsity Sports

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Rankings

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History & Fun Facts

•1896 Occidental College was founded on April 20, 1887, by a group of Presbyterian clergy, missionaries, and laymen, including James George Bell, Lyman Stewart, and Thomas Bard.
•The cornerstone of the school's first building was laid in September 1887 in the Boyle Heights now East Los Angeles neighborhood of Los Angeles.
•The college's first term began a year later with 27 male and 13 female students, and tuition of $50 a year.
•In 1896, the Boyle Heights building was destroyed by fire.
•Vincent's College campus on Hill Street before a new site was selected in Highland Park in 1898.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 5"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

Los Angelespop. 3.9M

6 mi(10 min)

San Diegopop. 1.4M

115 mi(199 min)

San Franciscopop. 870K

345 mi(598 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

LAX Los Angeles17 mi

SAN San Diego113 mi

LAS Las Vegas219 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2587 mi · ~74h 44m drive

New York, NY2442 mi · ~70h 33m drive

Hartford, CT2506 mi · ~72h 24m drive

Providence, RI2571 mi · ~74h 16m drive

Albany, NY2449 mi · ~70h 45m drive

Syracuse, NY2328 mi · ~67h 15m drive

Rochester, NY2254 mi · ~65h 7m drive

Buffalo, NY2189 mi · ~63h 14m drive

Philadelphia, PA2385 mi · ~68h 54m drive

Pittsburgh, PA2128 mi · ~61h 29m drive

Harrisburg, PA2292 mi · ~66h 13m drive

Newark, NJ2433 mi · ~70h 17m drive

Washington, DC2291 mi · ~66h 11m drive

Baltimore, MD2311 mi · ~66h 46m drive

Atlanta, GA1930 mi · ~55h 45m drive

Charlotte, NC2112 mi · ~61h 1m drive

Raleigh, NC2229 mi · ~64h 24m drive

Miami, FL2334 mi · ~67h 26m drive

Orlando, FL2196 mi · ~63h 26m drive

Tampa, FL2148 mi · ~62h 3m drive

Nashville, TN1774 mi · ~51h 15m drive

New Orleans, LA1668 mi · ~48h 11m drive

Richmond, VA2278 mi · ~65h 49m drive

Chicago, IL1738 mi · ~50h 13m drive

Detroit, MI1975 mi · ~57h 3m drive

Minneapolis, MN1517 mi · ~43h 49m drive

St. Louis, MO1583 mi · ~45h 44m drive

Kansas City, MO1351 mi · ~39h 2m drive

Indianapolis, IN1802 mi · ~52h 3m drive

Columbus, OH1970 mi · ~56h 55m drive

Cleveland, OH2041 mi · ~58h 58m drive

Milwaukee, WI1737 mi · ~50h 11m drive

Dallas, TX1236 mi · ~35h 42m drive

Houston, TX1370 mi · ~39h 35m drive

Austin, TX1224 mi · ~35h 22m drive

San Antonio, TX1201 mi · ~34h 42m drive

Los Angeles, CA6 mi · ~10 min drive

San Francisco, CA345 mi · ~9h 58m drive

San Diego, CA115 mi · ~3h 19m drive

Seattle, WA956 mi · ~27h 37m drive

Portland, OR821 mi · ~23h 43m drive

Denver, CO826 mi · ~23h 52m drive

Phoenix, AZ355 mi · ~10h 15m drive

Salt Lake City, UT574 mi · ~16h 35m drive

Honolulu, HI2563 mi · ~74h 3m drive

Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Budget

Airport Transit

Los Angeles (LAX)17 miles

Rental car

26 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

34 min$20-34

San Diego (SAN)113 miles

Rental car

170 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

226 min$136-226

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Schools Like This

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Deadline Calendar

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Occidental College Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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Occidental College Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award