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SelectiveReviewed for the 2026-2027 cycle

Whitman College acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

Whitman College is a private college in Washington that admits roughly 38% of applicants, which puts it in the selective range. A rate like this means it admits a minority of applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.

Your odds at Whitman College
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Whitman College weighs, where it ranks among Washington schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1400, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
38%
Selective
SAT middle 50%
1310-1480
of admitted students
Type
Private
Walla Walla, WA
Average net price
$33,313
per year after aid

What do students study at Whitman College?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Social Sciences · 76 (25.4%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 56 (18.7%)Psychology · 35 (11.7%)Physical Sciences · 28 (9.4%)Visual and Performing Arts · 27 (9%)Computer and Information Sciences · 16 (5.4%)Foreign Languages and Linguistics · 14 (4.7%)English Language and Literature · 14 (4.7%)Mathematics and Statistics · 11 (3.7%)

Will I get into Whitman College?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Whitman College, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Whitman College?

At Whitman College, your real chance depends on far more than the published 38% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Whitman College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Whitman College hard to get into?

Whitman College is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 38% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.

What GPA do you need to get into Whitman College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Whitman College, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Whitman College reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

Calculate your chances at Whitman College →

Your chances at Whitman College by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Whitman College for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Whitman College with a 3.5 GPA and a 1400 SAT?

About 57% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1400 SAT, the middle of Whitman College's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1480 SAT comes out near 75%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Whitman College by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 131025th pctSAT 1400middleSAT 148075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.925%Target32%Target39%Target22%Reach
3.236%Target44%Target52%Likely34%Target
3.548%Likely57%Likely64%Likely49%Likely
3.861%Likely69%Likely75%Safety64%Likely

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/whitman-college.

Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at Whitman College

From Whitman College's own 2024-25 Common Data Set (fall 2024 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.

Admitted off the waitlist
33
3.9% of 837 who stayed on
Transfer admit rate
53.3%
81 of 152

How many students get off the waitlist at Whitman College?

33 for fall 2024. Whitman College offered 863 applicants a waitlist spot, 837 accepted one, and 33 were admitted from it: 3.9% of those who stayed on (Whitman College's 2024-25 Common Data Set).

What is the transfer acceptance rate at Whitman College?

53.3%: 81 of 152 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2024 (Whitman College's 2024-25 Common Data Set).

Source: Whitman College Common Data Set 2024-25. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.

How to get into Whitman College

Built from Whitman College's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Getting into Whitman College comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Whitman College carries about a 3.58 core GPA and a 1430 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.

Step 2
Decide on scores with the real range

The admitted middle 50% is 1310 to 1480 SAT (29 to 33 ACT). Submit a score at 1395 or higher; below 1310, apply test-optional if the policy allows.

Step 3
Build the file around what Whitman College weighs

Whitman College rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: essays that sound like you and answer the actual prompt, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 4
Apply in the round that helps

An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Whitman College's exact dates at www.whitman.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at Whitman College →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.whitman.edu ↗

How many students apply to Whitman College, and how many get in?

6,185 students applied to Whitman College for fall 2023; 3,092 were admitted (50%). 444 enrolled. Only about 14% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Whitman College enrolls about 1,531 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1.

Applied
6,185
fall 2023
Admitted
3,092
50% of applicants
Enrolled
444
14% yield
Undergraduates
1,531
Walla Walla, small city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Whitman College?

Admitted students at Whitman College post SAT scores of 1310 to 1480 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1410. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 29 to 33. A score above 1480 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1310 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Whitman College is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.

SAT middle 50%
1310-1480
average 1410
ACT middle 50%
29-33
of admitted students
Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Whitman College looks for

What Whitman College weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

Whitman College signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Whitman College's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Application essay
Very important
Recommendations
Considered
Interview
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Very important
Talent / ability
Very important
Character / personal qualities
Very important
First-generation status
Considered
Alumni / legacy relation
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Important

SAT score positioning at Whitman College

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Whitman College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400In the competitive admitted range
1300Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1200Well below the admitted range
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1400 SAT →Colleges for a 31 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Whitman College cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Whitman College (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $78,092 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $64,050. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,313 a year, and it ranges from $13,567 for families earning under $30,000 to $47,679 for families earning over $110,000. 16% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$78,092
per year, before aid
Average net price
$33,313
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
16%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$13,567
$30k to $48k$11,596
$48k to $75k$21,915
$75k to $110k$27,237
Over $110k$47,679

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Whitman College graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Whitman College students ten years after entry are $67,589 ($45,594 at the six-year mark). 81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 87% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $18,437; 54% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$67,589
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
81%
within six years
Retention
87%
return for year two
Median debt
$18,437
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Whitman College compares in Washington

Whitman College ranks #1 most selective of 15 schools in Washington in our database.

Among the 15 Washington schools we track, Whitman College ranks the most selective by acceptance rate. Nothing else in the state is harder to get into; the next tier down includes University of Washington at 39%.

University of Washington
39%acceptance · WA
Walla Walla University
65%acceptance · WA
Seattle University
77%acceptance · WA
Pacific Lutheran University
78%acceptance · WA
Gonzaga University
82%acceptance · WA
Seattle Pacific University
83%acceptance · WA
Northwest University
83%acceptance · WA
Washington State University
87%acceptance · WA
See all Washington schools →

Similar to Whitman College

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

If Whitman College is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: William Jewell College, Regent University, and Thomas University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

William Jewell College
38%acceptance · MO
Regent University
38%acceptance · VA
Thomas University
38%acceptance · GA
Case Western Reserve University
37%acceptance · OH
Connecticut College
37%acceptance · CT
Gettysburg College
39%acceptance · PA

Frequently asked questions

What is Whitman College's acceptance rate?

Whitman College admitted 3,092 of 6,185 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 50% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 14% of admitted students enrolled.

What SAT score do you need for Whitman College?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1310 to 1480 on the SAT and 29 to 33 on the ACT. A score above 1480 is in the top quarter of admits. Whitman College is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.

Is Whitman College test-optional?

Yes. Whitman College reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.

How much does Whitman College cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Whitman College, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $33,313 a year against a sticker price of about $78,092. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $13,567 on average.

What do Whitman College graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Whitman College are $67,589 a year among students who received federal aid, and 81% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Whitman College value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Whitman College weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Whitman College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Whitman College's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.

How can I improve my chances at Whitman College?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Whitman College specifically.

Is Whitman College a target or a reach for an average applicant?

For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near Whitman College's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.