Liberal arts college
#25 Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in AmericaOccidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $38,263 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#25 of 950
- Best small colleges in America#34 of 906
- Best colleges in America#125 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#104 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#111 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#107 of 1,358
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for English in America#106 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#109 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#107 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#110 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#110 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#109 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#105 of 1,063
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#184 of 1,829
- Best colleges for computer science in America#76 of 750
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#51 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#107 of 788
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#106 of 704
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#108 of 690
- Best colleges in the Los Angeles area#13 of 69
- Most selective colleges in America#148 of 683
In California
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in California#3 of 49
- Best colleges in California#20 of 128
- Best small colleges in California#10 of 63
- Best test-optional colleges in California#18 of 100
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in California#12 of 63
- Best colleges for psychology in California#15 of 74
Show 9 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#27 of 128
- Best colleges for art and design in California#16 of 75
- Best colleges for music in California#16 of 70
- Best colleges for English in California#16 of 68
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in California#17 of 69
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in California#16 of 64
- Best colleges for history in California#17 of 68
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in California#17 of 67
- Best colleges for mathematics in California#17 of 65
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.90%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,452 · ACT 32.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$24,676
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $84,800 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,854 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 41% · Women 59% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 18% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 61% |
| Total students | 1,854 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $38,263 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $84,800 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 81% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 88% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 82% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 88% |
| First-year retention | 90% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $75,951 |
| Admission rate | 44% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $70 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 17% |
| Average SAT | 1452 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 690–750 |
| SAT math | 690–770 |
| ACT composite | 31–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Mathematics | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Political science | |
| Romance languages | |
| International relations | |
| Biology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Sociology | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer science, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, English, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Film and video, Fine arts, General studies, Geology and earth science, History, Kinesiology and exercise science, Linguistics, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Biology | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,252 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 75%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $328,987Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 89% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)About 10 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 3,857,2632020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Los AngelesAbout 14 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 57°F1991–2020 normal, from PASADENA, CA US, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 76°F1991–2020 normal, from PASADENA, CA US, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.06 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.59 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Occidental College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 8% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Occidental College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $38,263 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Occidental College?
- Occidental College admitted 44% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Occidental College’s graduates do?
- 81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $75,951; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 120254
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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