Walla Walla, WA · Private · 1,531 undergraduates · urban
Whitman College
Selective
Whitman's Outdoor Program turns access to the Pacific Northwest landscape into an organized part of campus life and leadership development.
Institutional profile
Well established Strong in student experience, and strong in academic standing.- Admission
- 50% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 90.1%
6,185 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$67,589 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Whitman College apart
Academic design
First-year students complete the year-long Encounters sequence, emphasizing primary sources, writing, discussion, and how knowledge is constructed across fields. The broader curriculum adds distribution requirements and major-based culminating work.
Campus pattern
Walla Walla gives Whitman a small-city college-town rhythm rather than a metropolitan one. The Outdoor Program is a major piece of student life, offering climbing, equipment access, skills courses, and trips throughout the region.
Defining feature
Whitman's Outdoor Program turns access to the Pacific Northwest landscape into an organized part of campus life and leadership development.
Can I get in?
50% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
6,185About 50 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 31% submitted an SAT, and 11% submitted an ACT. Because ACT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Whitman College, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Whitman College weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
First-year students complete the year-long Encounters sequence, emphasizing primary sources, writing, discussion, and how knowledge is constructed across fields. The broader curriculum adds distribution requirements and major-based culminating work.
Make the fit specific
Students who want intensive discussion and writing in a close residential community and expect outdoor recreation to be part of their weekly life.
Account for the tradeoff
Walla Walla is geographically removed from a major metropolitan center, so students wanting constant big-city access may find the setting limiting.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
Fee waiver: accepted
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Whitman College
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Whitman's Outdoor Program turns access to the Pacific Northwest landscape into an organized part of campus life and leadership development.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Research and Experimental Psychology
Economics
Biology, General
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Political Science and Government
What is campus life like?
Whitman College beyond the classroom
Walla Walla gives Whitman a small-city college-town rhythm rather than a metropolitan one. The Outdoor Program is a major piece of student life, offering climbing, equipment access, skills courses, and trips throughout the region.
A defining academic feature
First-year students complete the year-long Encounters sequence, emphasizing primary sources, writing, discussion, and how knowledge is constructed across fields. The broader curriculum adds distribution requirements and major-based culminating work.
What shapes an ordinary week
Walla Walla gives Whitman a small-city college-town rhythm rather than a metropolitan one. The Outdoor Program is a major piece of student life, offering climbing, equipment access, skills courses, and trips throughout the region.
What changes the experience
Whitman's Outdoor Program turns access to the Pacific Northwest landscape into an organized part of campus life and leadership development.