To calculate these scores, U.S. News analyzes factors including graduation rates for federal loan recipients who are the first in their families to attend college and graduation rates for students who receive federal Pell Grants, awarded to students whose household income is less than $50,000. National studies show these students face greater barriers to earning a degree, yet Whittier has consistently created pathways that close the gap and launch students into meaningful futures.
U.S. News also named Whittier one of the top 95 liberal arts colleges in the nation and is included in the top 100 best value schools list for national liberal arts colleges.
“Whittier has always believed in the potential of every student, regardless of their financial starting point,” said President Kristine E. Dillon ’73. “These rankings highlight that when students are supported by personalized teaching, hands-on learning, and a culture of inclusion, they go on to accomplish extraordinary things.”
Additionally, Whittier appears in The Princeton Review’s Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition and among Washington Monthly’s annual top 100 liberal arts colleges, as well as in the top 35 for public service.
Have a good story idea? Share it with us.
