Claremont McKenna vs. Pomona vs. Pitzer

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Pomona College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or Pomona 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.

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Claremont McKenna College vs. Pomona College vs. Pitzer College comparison
Claremont McKenna College Pomona College Pitzer College College 4
Claremont McKenna College Pomona College Pitzer College
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Overview

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
Location Claremont, CA Claremont, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,384 1,664 1,204
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #20
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu pomona.edu pitzer.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
Tuition (In State) $63,800 $61,906 $62,392
Tuition (Out of State) $63,800 $61,906 $62,392
Room & Board $19,650 $20,374 $21,374
Avg Net Price $29,978 $17,423 $34,801
Avg Grant Aid $52,149 $63,773 $48,031
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 56% 36%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
Applied 5,799 12,121 3,464
Admitted 645 819 577
Acceptance Rate 11.1% 6.8% 16.7%
Enrolled % 49.8% 49.8% 47.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.89 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Unavailable
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1450/1560 1480/1560
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2026 Jan 8, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
Graduation Rate 91% 95% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $70,500 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments - - 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $11,000 $15,895
Median Loan Payment $154 $113 $164

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
% Men 0% 1% 0%
% Women 0% 1% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 42% 40% 48%
% Black 4% 7% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 15% 15%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 8% 9%
% International 17% 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 6% 6% 6%

Students

Claremont McKenna Pomona Pitzer
% In-State 36% 30% 38%
% Out-of-State 45% 51% 52%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pomona College is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (1,664 students vs. 1,384 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pomona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Pomona?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 3.1% more expensive to attend than Pomona for in-state tuition ($63,800.00 vs. $61,906.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Claremont McKenna than Pomona College ($63,800.00 vs. $61,906.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pomona College than Claremont McKenna ($17,423 vs. $29,978)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 3.7% lower than costs at Pomona College ($19,650 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pomona College than Claremont McKenna College (56% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 22.3% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($63,773 vs. $52,149)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pomona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 27 points higher than at Claremont McKenna (1408)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have at the same average high school GPA (3.89) as students at Pomona (3.89)
  • Claremont McKenna has a higher acceptance rate (11.1%) than Pomona (6.8%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Pomona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or Pomona? 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 Pomona and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than Claremont McKenna College (95% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $27,300 more per year than Pomona graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $70,500)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $3,967 lower median federal student loan debt than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($11,000 vs. $14,967)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($113 vs. $154)

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