What Is Whittier, California? City and Whittier College Basics

Whittier, California is a city in Southern California that sits between Los Angeles and Orange County, and it is also home to Whittier College, a private four-year liberal arts college. If your search for "Whittier, California" is about studying in the area, the college is the main result; if it is about the place itself, the city's position between LA and Orange County is the key fact. The two are connected: the college's campus life is tied to Uptown Whittier and the wider Southern California region.

Where Whittier, California Is

Whittier College describes itself as "located in Southern California between bustling Los Angeles and beautiful Orange County." That single sentence answers most location questions about the city: Whittier is not inside LA or Orange County's core, but sits in the space between them, which makes both regions reachable for work, internships, and weekend trips.

The college's published address is 13406 E. Philadelphia St., Whittier, CA 90602, with a phone number of 562.907.4200. That address is a concrete way to confirm you are looking at the right Whittier if search results mix it up with other places.

What Whittier College Is

Whittier College is a four-year private liberal arts college. Its own materials describe it as "nationally ranked as a Top 20 Best Value School and among the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation." A recent news item on the site notes that U.S. News & World Report ranked it #20 in the nation for Best Value in its 2027 Best Colleges release.

The college frames its education around "Illuminating Potential," with discovery, research, and the creation of knowledge described as embedded in a Whittier College education. Students who prefer hands-on learning are the audience the college says it serves.

Key Features of the College Experience

The college's own overview highlights several features that matter when comparing it with other liberal arts schools:

• Whittier Scholars Program. For students who can't pick just one or two majors, this program allows combining courses across disciplines into a customized major.
• Study abroad. The college lists cultural exchange, foreign language immersion, faculty-led study trips, scholarships, fellowships, and semester abroad as hallmarks of its international study options.
• Athletics. Nearly half of students participate in varsity and intramural sports, ranging from Division III basketball and lacrosse to inner tube water polo and club rugby.
• Internships and fellowships. The college says students don't have to wait until graduation to build a resume; combining extracurricular activities, internships, and fellowships is presented as preparation for a first job or graduate school.
• Support services. Listed resources include the Center for Advising & Academic Success, Student Accessibility Services, the Counseling Center, and the Health & Wellness Center.

The Connection to Uptown Whittier and Southern California

The college's "Life at Whittier" section links campus life directly to place: residence halls, dining services, "Southern California," and "Uptown Whittier" appear as part of the same student experience. In practice, that means the city of Whittier is not just an address for the college—Uptown Whittier is presented as part of where students live and spend time, and the broader Southern California setting is part of the appeal.

City or College? How to Tell What You Need

Use the table below to sort out which "Whittier, California" you are looking for:

A practical next step: if you are evaluating the college, start with its admission pages and the Whittier Scholars Program description, then check the visit options before planning a trip. If you only need the city's location, the "between Los Angeles and Orange County" description and the Philadelphia Street address are enough to place it on a map.