Union College vs Occidental College

Union College and Occidental College are both well-regarded institutions, but they differ in important ways. Here's how they compare across key dimensions.

Admissions: Occidental College is more selective with a 39.9% acceptance rate compared to Union College's 43.8%. Average SAT scores are 1410 and 1461 respectively.

Cost: Union College offers a lower average net price at $36,000, which is $3,329 less than Occidental College ($39,329). After financial aid, this can make a significant difference over 4 years.

Career Outcomes: Graduates from Union College earn a median salary of $88,604 ten years after enrollment, which is $12,653 more than Occidental College graduates ($75,951).

Graduation: Union College leads with a 85.0% graduation rate, and freshman retention rates are 88.7% vs 87.2%.

Campus Size: Union College is the larger campus with 2,070 total students, while Occidental College has 1,844.

Bottom Line: Union College stands out as both more affordable and producing higher-earning graduates — making it the stronger value proposition overall.