Whitman College at a Glance
World-changing research opportunities with dedicated faculty members. Small classes exploring big questions. Global connections that turn into lifelong friendships. The support it takes to turn college into limitless opportunity. As a residential liberal arts college in eastern Washington's Walla Walla, Whitman has what it takes to provide an education that goes beyond the classroom.
Whitties are scholars, but also explorers, artists and scientists. They climb mountains, travel to far-off corners and advocate for social justice. They care about community and aim to become citizens of the world.
A Whitman education is rooted in the traditional liberal arts values of critical thought and academic rigor; add in prestigious internships, off-campus study and civic engagement opportunities, and it becomes more than the sum of its parts. The Whitman experience transforms, allowing students to turn education into lives of purpose and passion.
Location: Historic Walla Walla in the scenic southeastern corner of Washington. It is two and a half hours from Spokane, four hours from Portland, and four and a half hours from Seattle.
Student Body: 1,500. Coeducational, representing 46 states, seven federally recognized tribes and over 80 countries. Approximately two-thirds of Whitman students live on campus.
Faculty: Ninety-eight percent of tenure-track faculty hold the Ph.D. or other appropriate terminal degree in the field. During recent years, Whitman faculty members have been recipients of awards such as the Graves Award in the Humanities and the Lynwood W. Swanson Scientific Research Award. Members of the faculty have garnered honors and fellowships from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Endowment for the Humanities, M.J. Murdock Trust, American Chemical Society, U.S. Fulbright Program, Ploughshares Fund, and other agencies.
Student-Faculty Ratio: 9 to 1.
Majors and Combined Plans: Sixty-three departmental majors lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree. In addition, combined 3-2 engineering programs with approved ABET institutions; 3-2 oceanography and biology or geology with the University of Washington; 3-2 forestry and environmental management programs with Duke.
Off-Campus Studies: Currently 38 percent of the junior class pursue study abroad for one semester. There are more than 80 approved off-campus study programs, located in countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Turks and Caicos, as well as US-based programs in Tucson, Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Career Planning and Professional Development: In addition to our comprehensive and personalized career coaching program, the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) assists students in accessing valuable career-related experiences. Through campus leadership roles, community engagement, internships, on- and off-campus employment and nationally-competitive scholarships and grants, students develop professional skills that employers and graduate schools expect in their applicants. The CCEC offers tools, workshops and alumni networking opportunities, including an extensive library of resources and information.
Affiliations and Accreditations: Whitman College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation. Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution. Inquiries regarding the institution’s accreditation status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to Helen Kim, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (kimh2@whitman.edu, 509-527-5187). Individuals may also contact: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052, by phone at (425) 558-4224, or their website www.nwccu.org. Whitman’s Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society.
Athletics: Whitman holds membership in the NCAA (Div. III) and the Northwest Conference. The college supports 17 varsity sports, nine for women and eight for men, with almost 20 percent of the student body participating in varsity athletics. More than 70 percent compete in varsity, club and intramural sports combined.
Alumni Support: Each year, 20% of living alumni give back to Whitman. Gifts to The Whitman Fund – ranging from $5 to $50,000 – collectively provide support to all areas of the student experience, including academic excellence, DEI initiatives, internships and financial aid.
Campus, Housing, and Facilities: Three blocks from downtown Walla Walla, the 100-acre campus has 18 academic, student service and administrative buildings. Residential facilities include six coeducational halls, 13 interest houses, one all-female hall (which also houses four sororities) and four fraternity houses.
Financial Aid: About 50 percent of Whitman students receive need-based aid. Whitman also maintains a merit-based scholarship program, and 96% of Whitman students receive some form of financial aid
Financial Strength: Market value of endowment and outside trusts is more than $785 million, as of June 30, 2024.
Cost: In 2025-2026, $66,050 for tuition, $15,492 for room and board.