Occidental College Acceptance Rate
Los Angeles, California · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 6,573
- Admitted
- 2,622
- Yield
- 20.3%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Occidental College's acceptance rate has fallen from 42% in 2014–15 to 39.9% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 6,071 to 6,573 (+8%) over that period.
Its 39.9% rate makes Occidental College more selective than about 89% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 84 tracked California schools, it is more selective than about 73%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (42.3% for women vs 36.6% for men, a 5.7-point gap). Occidental College has been test-optional since 2021–22. Of admitted students, 20.3% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 6,071 | 2,552 | 42% | 546 |
| 2015–16 | 5,911 | 2,652 | 44.9% | 518 |
| 2016–17 | 6,409 | 2,936 | 45.8% | 502 |
| 2017–18 | 6,775 | 2,831 | 41.8% | 564 |
| 2018–19 | 7,281 | 2,716 | 37.3% | 566 |
| 2019–20 | 7,501 | 2,752 | 36.7% | 562 |
| 2020–21 | 6,939 | 2,838 | 40.9% | 402 |
| 2021–22 | 6,495 | 2,484 | 38.2% | 535 |
| 2022–23 | 6,305 | 2,484 | 39.4% | 531 |
| 2023–24 | 6,573 | 2,622 | 39.9% | 532 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 3,782 | 1,601 | 42.3% |
| Men | 2,519 | 922 | 36.6% |
| Another gender | 272 | 99 | 36.4% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 690–750 | 23% |
| SAT Math | 670–750 | |
| ACT Composite | 31–34 | 13% |
How Occidental College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Occidental College's acceptance rate?
Occidental College's acceptance rate is 39.9% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (2,622 admitted of 6,573 applicants).
Is Occidental College test optional?
Occidental College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Occidental College?
Occidental College received 6,573 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 2,622.
What SAT score do you need for Occidental College?
Admitted students at Occidental College typically scored 690–750 on SAT Reading/Writing and 670–750 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Occidental College getting harder to get into?
Occidental College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 42% in 2014–15 to 39.9% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: https://www.oxy.edu/.