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USD San Diego State UCSB UCI Pomona UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue Michigan| Claremont McKenna College | University of California San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
| Location | Claremont, CA | La Jolla, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,384 | 42,376 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #17 | #88 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | claremontmckenna.edu | ucsd.edu | ||
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Costs |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,800 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,800 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,650 | $17,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,978 | $13,293 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $52,149 | $24,176 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 53% | 64% |
Admission |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
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| Applied | 5,799 | 130,771 | ||
| Admitted | 645 | 32,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.1% | 24.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 49.8% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 28/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1450/1560 | 1270/1480 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 5, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $97,800 | $67,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,967 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $154 | $191 |
Diversity |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 17% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 2% |
Students |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 36% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 10% | ||
Campus |
Claremont McKenna | UCSD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California San Diego is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 1,384 students)
Claremont McKenna vs. UCSD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or UCSD?
- Claremont McKenna College is 439.1% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($63,800.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at Claremont McKenna than University of California San Diego ($63,800.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Claremont McKenna ($13,293 vs. $29,978)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 14.3% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($17,198 vs. $19,650)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than Claremont McKenna College (64% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 115.7% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($52,149 vs. $24,176)
Claremont McKenna vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Claremont McKenna or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or Claremont McKenna .
- The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 64 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
- Incoming Claremont McKenna students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at UCSD (31)
- Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UCSD (3.82)
- UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (24.5%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)
Claremont McKenna vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Claremont McKenna or UCSD? 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 UCSD and Claremont McKenna.
- The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of California San Diego (91% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $29,900 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $67,900)
- Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $3,533 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($14,967 vs. $18,500)
- Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($154 vs. $191)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/