Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Occidental College #1060 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $68,467, placing Occidental College in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Occidental College #410 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Azimuth ranks Occidental College #1060 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting strong graduate outcomes relative to cost paid. These outcomes span graduates entering academic careers as well as those pursuing high-earning sectors. ---
Azimuth ranks Occidental College #1060 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 28.2 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Los Angeles, CA, Occidental College enrolls roughly 1,877 undergraduates. Retention is 89.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 80.9%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a residential liberal arts institution. Where Occidental College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Occidental College #526 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 64.5 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $68,467, placing Occidental College in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's strength in Social Sciences — a field that anchors both enrollment and earnings outcomes — contributes to this competitive return profile. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Occidental College admits about 44.2% of applicants, a selectivity level that shapes the size and composition of each entering class. 16.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 17.6% are first-generation college students, placing Occidental College in the 23.5 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 5.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the institution's private tuition structure and the aid available to admitted students. Mobility outcomes rank in the 72.3 percentile, indicating that while graduates see solid earnings, the institution serves a more economically advantaged population than some peer institutions.
Occidental College's published cost of attendance is $84,800. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $20,705, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $17,655, middle-income families pay about $21,468, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $28,033, and higher-income families pay around $54,959. Azimuth ranks Occidental College #1346 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Occidental College meets demonstrated financial need through a combination of need-based grants, loans, and work-study. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The net price illusion explains how published sticker price and actual net price can differ substantially — a distinction that matters when comparing affordability across institutions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $51,450; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures. See the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Occidental College's median four-year earnings of $68,467, median federal debt of $23,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $260 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Occidental College is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields who want a private liberal arts college experience in Los Angeles, CA. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $68,467, placing Occidental College in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Occidental College #526 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The aid structure is need-based. Occidental College's published aid guidance commits to meeting demonstrated financial need in full under current financial aid policies. For admitted Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 16.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 17.6% are first-generation — that structure can meaningfully close the gap between the published cost and what families actually pay. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 44.2% admit rate makes the application process highly competitive, and the program mix favors liberal arts-oriented fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the country.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Occidental College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of California-Riverside Higher acceptance rate (23.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 52 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 63% | $67,699 | Compare |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Higher acceptance rate (33.8 percentage points higher) and located 23 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 74% | $71,902 | Compare |
Chapman University Higher acceptance rate (15.7 percentage points higher) and located 31 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 56% | $70,070 | Compare |
Virginia Military Institute Higher acceptance rate (41.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | VA | 82% | $77,369 | Compare |
University Of Puget Sound Higher acceptance rate (36.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | WA | 76% | $69,594 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trinity Christian College Similar quality tier (#28247 ranked) | IL | 85% | $55,700 | #28247 | Compare |
Wheaton College Similar quality tier (#28246 ranked) | IL | 87% | $63,756 | #28246 | Compare |
Kalamazoo College Similar quality tier (#28245 ranked) | MI | 75% | $65,590 | #28245 | Compare |
Mississippi College Similar quality tier (#28243 ranked) | MS | 29% | $47,485 | #28243 | Compare |
Ripon College Similar quality tier (#28242 ranked) | WI | 80% | $54,902 | #28242 | Compare |
Economics
85 graduates
Mathematics
11 graduates
Cognitive Science
23 graduates
Political Science and Government
22 graduates
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
8 graduates
Occidental College's program mix is anchored in social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields—a signature aligned with the institution's liberal arts identity in Los Angeles. Economics is the largest program with 85 graduates, followed by International Relations and National Security Studies, Biology, General, Research Psychology, and Computer Science.
The program portfolio reflects a concentration in Social Sciences (representing 30% of degrees), alongside Arts (10%) and other STEM fields (4%). The highest-earning programs at Occidental College cluster in applied and quantitative fields.
Economics leads with median earnings of $103,164 four years after enrollment from 85 graduates, followed by Cognitive Science at $78,782 (23 graduates), Political Science at $72,441 (22 graduates), International Relations and National Security Studies at $70,394, and Biology, General at $59,985. These earnings reflect outcomes for graduates entering the workforce directly in fields with strong labor-market demand.
Many of Occidental College's largest programs—particularly those in social sciences and humanities—represent pathways where a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school, meaning four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory for those students. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with national labor-market trends and wage growth across sectors.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Occidental College's published cost of attendance is $84,800. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $20,705, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $17,655, middle-income families pay about $21,468, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $28,033, and higher-income families pay around $54,959.
Azimuth ranks Occidental College #1346 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Occidental College meets demonstrated financial need through a combination of need-based grants, loans, and work-study. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) explains how published sticker price and actual net price can differ substantially — a distinction that matters when comparing affordability across institutions.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $51,450; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures. See the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at Occidental College's median four-year earnings of $68,467, median federal debt of $23,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $260 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Occidental College earn median 4-year earnings of $68,467, placing Occidental College in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Occidental College #526 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings profile reflects a social-sciences-anchored curriculum where Social Sciences represents the dominant concentration, shaping both the institution's graduate outcomes and the career pathways students pursue after enrollment. The program lineup spans humanities, social sciences, and applied fields.
Economics is the largest program with 85 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $103,164, delivering 1.2× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The International Relations and National Security Studies program graduates 53 students earning median 4-year earnings of $70,394, while Biology, General and Research Psychology round out the top programs with 40 and 36 graduates respectively.
The concentration in Social Sciences (representing 30% of degrees) alongside Arts (10%) and other STEM fields (4%) reflects Occidental College's liberal-arts identity and positions graduates for careers in education, policy, nonprofit leadership, and professional services where social-sciences training translates into sustained earning power.
