Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California · Private Nonprofit · 77.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 65/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Westmont College, a selective Christian liberal-arts college in Santa Barbara, scores 65 - comfortably in the Fair Value tier and one of the higher scores in our dataset. The fundamentals are strong across the board: completion is 70.4% (sub-score 79), three-year repayment is 86.3% (sub-score 88), and the payback period is just 8.6 years (sub-score 71). Median earnings of $38,600 at six years climb sharply to $64,778 by ten years - one of the strongest mid-career growth curves in this set, reflecting graduates moving into established Southern California careers. Median debt of $23,250 against those earnings produces a 0.602 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 50). Sticker tuition is steep at $53,584, but net price is $29,053 - substantial institutional discounting averages 46%. Four-year cost is $116,212. The 20% Pell rate reflects a mostly upper-middle-class student body. With 1,302 students, Westmont delivers a small-college residential experience with strong outcomes in business information systems, computer/IS, communications, and a notable biology program (graduates earning $75K+ at year four). The financial case works - this is one of the more defensible small-private Christian liberal-arts buys.
Westmont College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,584/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,584/yr |
| Average net price | $29,053/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $116,212 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $64,778 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,302 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $53,584/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,053/year, or roughly $116,212 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $20,899/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $38,124/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $23,250 in federal loans, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $64,778 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.60, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $20,899 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,492 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,867 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,524 |
| $110,001+ | $38,124 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $20,899 net - well below the $29,053 average. Four-year cost is around $83,600, against $64,778 in 10-year median earnings. The math is reasonable for low-income families: aid reduces price substantially, and the mid-career earnings curve is strong enough to justify the spend over time.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $19,867 net - notably, the $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays $15,492 (less than the under-$30K bracket's $20,899). This is an aid-policy quirk where middle-low income families capture the most aid-per-dollar; an unusual but documented pattern. Four-year cost at middle-income brackets is around $79,500-$83,500.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $24,524, jumping sharply to $38,124 for $110,000+ families. This is a substantial gap - net price increases by $13,600 between upper-middle and high-income brackets. Four-year cost at the top tier exceeds $152,000, the highest in our dataset. For high-income families this is essentially full-pay liberal-arts; the value proposition depends on mission fit, Santa Barbara location, and Westmont's strong career outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Westmont College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Information Systems | $84,815 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $56,878 | D |
| Biology | $75,889 | D |
| Psychology | $45,455 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $62,535 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $83,026 | - |
| English Language and Literature | $58,459 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $61,939 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Information Systems
Business Information Systems is Westmont's largest program at 60 graduates earning $54,457 in year one and $84,815 by year four against $25,000 debt - a 0.459 ratio (C+ grade). Strong four-year growth reflects graduates moving into Southern California tech and consulting roles. The MIS-heavy curriculum positions students for both business and IT career paths effectively.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences produces 19 graduates with $83,026 in year-one earnings - the highest of any program. Median debt is not reported. The earnings figure puts graduates squarely in Southern California tech salaries. A small but powerful pipeline.
Biology
Biology produces 38 graduates earning $30,635 in year one but jumping to $75,889 by year four against $23,250 debt (0.759 ratio, D grade). The dramatic four-year earnings climb is among the strongest in this set, signaling that most graduates continue to medical, dental, PA, or grad school and capture professional earnings. The year-one number reflects the standard pre-medical earnings gap.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology produces 42 graduates earning $27,708 in year one and $56,878 by year four against $24,250 debt (0.875 ratio, D grade). Like other kinesiology programs nationally, this is a pre-professional feeder to PT, OT, DPT, and athletic training credentials. The four-year climb reflects graduates capturing professional licensure.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies produces 24 graduates earning $41,225 in year one and $62,535 by year four against $23,250 debt (0.564 ratio, C grade). Strong outcomes for a communication degree - the Southern California media-and-marketing labor market is large and Westmont graduates appear to place into it effectively.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 83.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 86.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 86.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Westmont College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 77.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 610-700 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 630-750 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-32 |
| Enrollment | 1,302 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,166 |
Westmont admits 77.1% of applicants - moderately selective. SAT mid-ranges (Math 610-700, Reading 630-750) and ACT 25-32 reflect a genuinely strong academic profile - the 75th-percentile SAT Reading of 750 puts upper-half admits in the same band as small selective liberal-arts colleges nationally. The 70.4% completion rate aligns with that academic preparation. Prepared applicants will find Westmont accessible; the school does the academic-preparation-to-completion work well.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Westmont's peer set is interesting: Art Center College of Design (a specialized design school - not really comparable), Azusa Pacific University (CA Christian - a closer mission peer with larger scale), AdventHealth University (FL health-focused), Albion (MI liberal arts), and Walla Walla (WA Adventist). The closest mission peer is Azusa Pacific; Albion is a closer academic-profile peer. Among small Christian liberal-arts colleges nationally, Westmont's 65 score is in the upper tier - its completion, repayment, and mid-career earnings curves consistently outperform similar institutions.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westmont College (this school) | 65 | $29,053 | $64,778 |
| Calvin University | 65 | $22,992 | $58,375 |
| John Brown University | 64 | $20,397 | $53,907 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | 64 | $29,822 | $67,725 |
| Samford University | 62 | $32,622 | $58,469 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | 62 | $22,866 | $59,986 |
Who Thrives Here
Westmont fits academically prepared Christian students drawn to a 1,302-student liberal-arts environment in Santa Barbara. Pell rate of 20% indicates a mostly upper-middle-class student body capable of substantial out-of-pocket investment. Strongest outcomes appear in business information systems, computer/IS, and pre-professional biology tracks. The Santa Barbara coastal location and small-college mentorship are core to the value proposition. Best fit: students with strong academic credentials, Christian faith alignment, and financial resources or strong merit-aid qualifications. Not a good fit for pure-ROI optimizers.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Westmont College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $29,053 a year after aid ($116,212 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $64,778 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.6 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: its 70.3% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $23,250 against $64,778 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.