More selective than 96% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $86,500. College Scorecard.
Higher than 90% of California colleges we cover and 97% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 96% of California colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Claremont McKenna College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,799 applicants, Claremont McKenna College admitted 645 and 321 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1470–1560 on the SAT or 33–35 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Claremont McKenna College tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
Claremont McKenna College majors, earnings & careers
Claremont McKenna College offers 45 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Science & Math · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 9
- Arts & Design · 5
- Business & Finance · 3
- Engineering · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Claremont McKenna College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $146,524 | $12,000 |
| International Relations | $96,520 | — |
| Political Science | $73,826 | — |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Accounting—
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Chemistry—
- Classics—
- Cognitive Science—
- Communications—
- Computer Science—
- Dance—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$146,524
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- Engineering, Other—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Human Biology—
- Human Resources—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Relations$96,520
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics—
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$73,826
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Religious Studies—
- Science, Technology and Society—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Systems Science and Theory—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Los Angeles
Overall prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,964. Housing costs 70% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 14 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); wildfire (very high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Los Angeles County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Los Angeles County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Claremont McKenna College with similar schools
Similar private colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College | 10% | $28,849 | 91% | $104,736 | This school |
| Pomona College | 7% | $19,285 | 93% | $77,779 | |
| Harvey Mudd College | 13% | $35,924 | 92% | $138,687 | |
| California Institute of Technology | 3% | $16,075 | 94% | $128,566 | |
| Pitzer College | 25% | $34,191 | 83% | $69,512 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Claremont McKenna College would cost you $9,564 more per year than Pomona College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Claremont McKenna College, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$2,560).
- Pomona College gives aided families $8,364 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | Claremont McKenna College | Pomona College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $67,980 | $65,420 | +$2,560 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,100 | +$100 |
| Housing & meals | $19,650 | $20,374 | −$724 |
| Personal & travel | $1,500 | $1,500 | $0 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,830 | −$3,094 | −$736 |
| Sticker price | $86,500 | $85,300 | +$1,200 |
| Average grants | −$57,651 | −$66,015 | +$8,364 |
| You pay | $28,849 | $19,285 | +$9,564 |
“+” means Claremont McKenna College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Claremont McKenna College
What is the Claremont McKenna College acceptance rate?
Claremont McKenna College accepts 10% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 645 of 5,799 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1470–1560 on the SAT or 33–35 on the ACT.
How much does Claremont McKenna College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $86,500 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $28,849 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $15,308 and families earning $110k+ pay $52,295.
How much do Claremont McKenna College graduates earn?
Former Claremont McKenna College students earn a median $104,736 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Claremont McKenna College graduation rate?
91% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% return for their second year.
Is Claremont McKenna College the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Claremont McKenna College with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Claremont McKenna College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/claremont-mckenna-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).