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Private 4-Year Highly Selective Claremont, CA NCAA Division III with football

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA

9.6%
Acceptance Rate
$91,510/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$28,849/yr
Avg Price After Aid
93.3%
6-yr Grad Rate
1,388
Undergrads

About Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College is a private nonprofit university with an undergraduate enrollment of 1,388 students and an acceptance rate of 9.6%. The college maintains an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a 6-year graduation rate of 93.3%. Annual cost of attendance is $91,510, with a median earnings of $104,736 reported 10 years after enrollment.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
1,388
Avg Faculty Salary
$150,310
Athletics
NCAA Division III with football
Endowment
$1.3B
Pell Students
18.1%
What Claremont McKenna College Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Systems Science and Theory 22 graduates · 6.4% of degrees here vs 0.02% nationally 274×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 99 graduates · 28.9% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 38×
Experimental Psychology 20 graduates · 5.8% of degrees here vs 0.18% nationally 33×
International Relations and Affairs 20 graduates · 5.8% of degrees here vs 0.32% nationally 18×
Political Science and Government 30 graduates · 8.7% of degrees here vs 1.74% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
9.6%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
23.4%
ED Rate
5,799
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$28,849 avg net
Average net price after aid
$15,308
Under $30K income
$1.3B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$87,603 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
93.3%
6-yr Grad Rate
$13,500
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Claremont McKenna College Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
9.6%
5,799 applicants
Early Decision Rate
23.4%
ED applications: 967

Claremont McKenna College is highly selective with a 9.6% acceptance rate and an undergraduate enrollment of 1,388 students. The college maintains an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and boasts a 93.3% six-year graduation rate.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 10 applicants is admitted · 5,799 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1470–1560
40080012001600

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Considered
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Considered
Application essay Very Important
Recommendations Very Important
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
75%
Top quarter
91%
Top half
100%
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 2,585 266 10.3% 146
Women 2,913 350 12% 158
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Claremont McKenna College admits 9.6% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
9.6%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
CA (130)
76.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (70)
74.9%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Claremont McKenna College Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$28,849
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$13,500
Federal Loan Rate
20.9%
Students borrowing federal loans

Claremont McKenna College has a cost of attendance of $91,510 annually. With 18.1% of students receiving Pell grants, the college serves low-income students alongside its selective admissions profile.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$91,510
Tuition & Fees
$67,980
74%
Room & Board
$20,830
23%
Books & Supplies
$1,200
1%
Other Expenses
$1,500
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$15,308
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,360
$48,001 – $75,000
$16,389
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,325
Over $110,000
$52,295

* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.

Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
76%
Federal loans
21%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $143.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Claremont McKenna College costs $28,849 a year — about 28% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$86,500
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
CA (253)
$22,850
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (124)
$28,033
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
76.1%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
CA (409)
84.4%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (202)
86.6%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$13,500
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
CA (416)
$10,750
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (212)
$12,419
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$28,849
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
CA (503)
$20,807
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (257)
$21,840
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Claremont McKenna College Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
93.3%
Median Earnings 6yr
$87,603
6 years after entering

Claremont McKenna College has a 93.3% six-year graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $87,603 six years after enrollment and $104,736 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$91,070
Men
$81,788
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
91.9%
Pell recipients
91.2%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics99
Political Science and Government, General30
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other28
Systems Science and Theory22
Experimental Psychology20
International Relations and Affairs20
Biology/Biological Sciences, General14
Neuroscience14
Environmental Studies12
Accounting10
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
94.6%
White
93.3%
Black
91.7%
Hispanic
88.5%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Claremont McKenna College are $105,942, and 80% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Claremont McKenna College students earn $87,603 — 93% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$104,736
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
CA (462)
$41,247
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (239)
$41,472
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$87,603
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
CA (488)
$36,007
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (250)
$35,608
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
93.3%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
CA (168)
61.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (94)
62.7%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
97.2%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
CA (124)
81.4%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (68)
80.1%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Claremont McKenna College Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Claremont McKenna College is a small private institution with 1,388 undergraduates and an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It competes in NCAA Division III athletics, including football, with annual athletic revenue of $3.4 million.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
35.7%
Asian
17.1%
Hispanic
14.8%
Black
4.1%
Other Indicators
Pell grant recipients
18.1%
Women
49.9%
Claremont McKenna College Athletics
Total Revenue
$3.4M
Total Expense
$3.4M
Athletes
705
381 men · 324 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$57,218
Women's sports
$62,790

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Academic Resources
194
Full-time faculty
$150,310
Avg faculty salary
1,429
FT staff
$1.3B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$162,180
Women (avg)
$129,745
Overall avg
$150,310
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
1,388
Graduate students
3
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
47.2%

649 of 1,375 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0%
Undergrads taking any
0%
Grad students fully online
0%

0 of 1,381 undergraduates study entirely at a distance.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Claremont McKenna College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Claremont McKenna College spends $21,338 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
18.1%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
CA (541)
43.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (276)
48.4%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$21,338
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
CA (193)
$6,054
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (96)
$5,525
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
8:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
CA (559)
19:1
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (285)
19:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Claremont McKenna College
35 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
343 graduates
Social Sciences 150 grads · 4 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 99
Political Science and Government, General 30
International Relations and Affairs 20
Sociology, General 1
Multidisciplinary Studies 53 grads · 4 majors
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 28
Systems Science and Theory 22
Human Biology 2
Cognitive Science, General 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 31 grads · 3 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 14
Neuroscience 14
Biochemistry 3
Psychology 20 grads · 1 major
Experimental Psychology 20
Natural Resources and Conservation 16 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Studies 12
Environmental Science 4
Business and Marketing 11 grads · 2 majors
Accounting 10
Organizational Behavior Studies 1
Computer and Information Sciences 9 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 9
Philosophy and Religious Studies 8 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 7
Religion/Religious Studies 1
Engineering 7 grads · 1 major
Engineering, Other 7
English Language and Literature 7 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 7
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 7 grads · 4 majors
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and... 3
German Studies 2
Italian Studies 1
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 1
Communication and Journalism 5 grads · 1 major
Mass Communication/Media Studies 5
Public Administration and Social Services 5 grads · 1 major
Public Policy Analysis, General 5
Physical Sciences 5 grads · 2 majors
Physics, General 4
Geology/Earth Science, General 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 3 grads · 2 majors
Chinese Language and Literature 2
Spanish Language and Literature 1
History 2 grads · 1 major
History, General 2
Mathematics and Statistics 2 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 2
Visual and Performing Arts 2 grads · 2 majors
Fine/Studio Arts, General 1
Music, General 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Claremont McKenna College Location & Campus Safety

Claremont McKenna College is in Claremont, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large suburb setting. The campus sits about 1.6 miles from the center of Claremont. There are 28 other colleges within 25 miles, and Claremont, CA is 1.6 miles away.

Claremont McKenna College Other colleges within 30 miles
Large suburb
Campus Setting
1.6 mi
To City Center
28
Colleges Within 25 mi
36,553
Claremont Population
Living in Claremont
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,125
Median Rent / mo
$122,127
Median Household Income
34.8%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
57.2%
Walk
9%
Public transit
1.5%

Los Angeles County scores 13.5 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 16.1% of Claremont's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near Claremont McKenna College
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
Harvey Mudd College 921 students 0.3 mi
Pomona College 1,666 students 0.3 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, Claremont McKenna College to each campus

Campus Safety at Claremont McKenna College

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Claremont McKenna College reported for 2024.

22
On-Campus Offenses
5
In Residence Halls
15.8
Per 1,000 Students
1
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
26
2023
36
2024
22
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
13
Sexual offenses
6
Burglary
2
Arson
1

Separately, Claremont McKenna College reported 7 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Claremont McKenna College admissions, costs, and outcomes.