Claremont McKenna College: the complete school report for parents

What’s new at Claremont McKenna College for 2025-26

Claremont McKenna stays among the most selective colleges in the country at its size. Its published fact sheet reports 6,939 applications, 655 offers and 335 students enrolling, an admit rate near 9%. The college enrols 1,371 degree-seeking undergraduates in total and runs an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, so the entering class is roughly a quarter the size of a single large-university lecture cohort.

Source: Fact Sheet, Claremont McKenna College Institutional Research

What does Claremont McKenna College actually weigh in admissions?

Claremont McKenna College rates 6 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay, extracurricular activities, recommendations, personal qualities. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Claremont McKenna College's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What is the Claremont McKenna College waitlist really like?

Claremont McKenna College offered a place on its waiting list to 711 applicants and 469 accepted one. 61 were ultimately admitted. That is 13.0% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Claremont McKenna College admitted 8.1% of 307 transfer applicants, against 9.4% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 22.1% of ED applicants were admitted against 9.4% overall, a gap of 13 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Claremont McKenna College requires 14 academic units and recommends 17. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Claremont McKenna College actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $28,849 a year at Claremont McKenna College after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $75,300. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 24 merit awards averaging $13,011 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

34% of Claremont McKenna College graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $27,023 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $143 a month in repayment. Claremont McKenna College’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Claremont McKenna College pay off?

Graduates earn a median $104,736 ten years after entering, and $87,603 at six years. 90% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.

Will my child actually graduate?

98% of first-years return for a second year. 70% graduate within four years and 90% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 92.3% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 88.4% of everyone else, a gap of -3.9 points.

How big are the classes?

85% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 8:1, and 90% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

What is life at Claremont McKenna College like?

1,378 undergraduates, 67.5% of first-years from out of state. 99.7% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 96.9% across all undergraduates, and the median family income is $82,855.

About 94 percent of CMC students live on campus, which the college runs as a fully residential community rather than a commuter one.

Source: Residential Life, Claremont McKenna College

How is Claremont McKenna College ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?

Claremont McKenna College is ranked #7 for national liberal arts colleges in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2026. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:

Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.

Source: Claremont McKenna College rankings, U.S. News Best Colleges

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Claremont McKenna College recommends 17 academic units.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Early Decision is worth 13 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 61 of 469 who waited were admitted, about 13%.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Claremont McKenna College