Liberal arts college
#7 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in AmericaWestmont College
Santa Barbara, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $29,053 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,250 (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 NCAA Division II athletes in America#7 of 292
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#97 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#111 of 1,068
- Best small colleges in America#106 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#204 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#172 of 1,238
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for psychology in America#232 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#303 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#220 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#233 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#263 of 1,481
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#128 of 704
- Best colleges for history in America#231 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#220 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#231 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#233 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#217 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#230 of 1,116
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#148 of 690
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#393 of 1,829
- Best colleges for engineering in America#173 of 749
In California
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.70%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.85%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,328 · ACT 28.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$22,852
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: $71,150 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) | 1,310 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 17% |
| Total students | 1,310 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $29,053 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $71,150 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 70% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 79% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 71% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 82% |
| First-year retention | 85% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,778 |
| Admission rate | 77% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Regular decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | January 15 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $2,746 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1328 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 630–750 |
| SAT math | 610–700 |
| ACT composite | 25–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Managerial economics | |
| Biology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Liberal arts | |
| English | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Chemistry, Computing and information science, Engineering (general), Engineering Physics, Film and video, Fine arts, General studies, Global studies, History, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Religious studies, Romance languages, Social sciences, Sociology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Health professions | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,960 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Pacific West Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 14%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 64%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $68,256IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 92% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)About 10 miles away · about 25 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)About 76 miles away |
| Town population | 87,779Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BakersfieldAbout 72 miles away · about 2 hours 55 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 57°F in January · 68°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Santa Barbara, CA, about 3 miles away |
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 | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.38 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.53 | 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 Westmont College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 17% 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 Westmont College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $29,053 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 Westmont College?
- Westmont College admitted 77% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Westmont College’s graduates do?
- 70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $64,778; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 125727
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Non-Denominational
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