Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Pepperdine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Loyola Marymount Pomona Chapman USD HMC USC Oxy SCU Scripps College UCLA UCSB Westmont College
Claremont McKenna College vs. Pepperdine University comparison
Claremont McKenna College Pepperdine University College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Pepperdine University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Location Claremont, CA Malibu, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,389 10,030
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #127
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu pepperdine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $62,390
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $62,390
Room & Board $18,712 $18,560
Avg Net Price $28,701 $47,804
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $32,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 94%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 11,466
Admitted 591 5,585
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 48.7%
Enrolled % 54.5% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 28/32
SAT Range 1440/1550 1285/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Graduation Rate 91% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $71,700
Making Student Loan Payments - 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $154 $268

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
% Men 49% 33%
% Women 51% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 47%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 17% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
% In-State 42% 45%
% Out-of-State 41% 43%

Campus

Claremont McKenna Pepperdine
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pepperdine University is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (10,030 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine?

  • Pepperdine University is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($62,390.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Pepperdine than Claremont McKenna College ($62,390.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than Pepperdine ($28,701 vs. $47,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pepperdine University are 0.8% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($18,560 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Claremont McKenna College (94% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 54.6% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($50,020 vs. $32,348)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Pepperdine or Claremont McKenna .

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 182 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
  • Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Pepperdine (28)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
  • Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (48.7%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Pepperdine and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than Pepperdine University (91% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $26,100 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $71,700)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $11,033 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($14,967 vs. $26,000)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($154 vs. $268)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/