Harvey Mudd College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Claremont, California · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2025-2026

Acceptance rate
12%
5,217 applicants
Median SAT
1510
Mid 50: 1500–1560
In-state tuition
$68,613
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$35,924
after aid, what families pay
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Quick answer

Harvey Mudd College is a private nonprofit university in Claremont, California that admits about 12% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $35,924 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Mathematics and Computer Science, Engineering, General and Computer Science, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 93% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 13.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

Harvey Mudd College is a private institution located in Claremont, California and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Harvey Mudd College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 12%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1510 and an ACT composite around 35. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $35,924 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Harvey Mudd College?

Most admitted students at Harvey Mudd College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Harvey Mudd College.

What does Harvey Mudd College weight in admissions?

Harvey Mudd College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

Very Important3 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Academic GPA
  • Recommendations
Important3 factors
  • Application essay
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Character/personal qualities

SAT and ACT scores Harvey Mudd College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–36. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1500
50th percentile1510
75th percentile1560
% submitting SAT55%
ACT Composite
25th percentile35
50th percentile35
75th percentile36
% submitting ACT21%
Current testing policy
  • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Policy detail: Considered if submitted

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class95%
Top 25% of class100%
Top 50% of class100%
% submitting class rank18%

How much does Harvey Mudd College actually cost?

Published tuition is $68,613 for in-state students and $68,613 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $22,318 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $35,924 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 15% of students receive Pell Grants.

In-state tuition$75,669
Room and board$23,434
Average net price (after aid)$35,924
Application fee$70 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for Harvey Mudd College

Regular admission
Regular deadlineJanuary 5
Notification dateApril 1
Reply deadlineMay 1
Early admission
Offers Early DecisionYes
ED deadlineNovember 15
Offers Early Decision IIYes
ED II deadlineJanuary 5
ED acceptance rate (all rounds)18%

Will my child graduate from Harvey Mudd College?

These predict outcomes at Harvey Mudd College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Freshman retention
95.24%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
93.03%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at Harvey Mudd College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Harvey Mudd College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Mathematics and Computer Science, Engineering, General and Computer Science. Across all programs, Harvey Mudd College confers roughly 219 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Engineering, General program report a median income of about $123,894 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

MajorGraduates / yearMedian earnings (5 yrs out)
Mathematics and Computer Science55
Engineering, General51$123,894
Computer Science49$220,204
Physics20
Mathematics18
Chemistry10
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology9
Biology, General7
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is Harvey Mudd College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Harvey Mudd College disclosed 12 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 13.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

Total offenses
12
13.0 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
0
0.00 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
2
2.17 per 1,000
Burglary
0
reported incidents
Clery Act 2024, rates per 921 enrolled.

What is campus life like at Harvey Mudd College?

About 97% of undergraduates at Harvey Mudd College live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Live on campus
97%
of undergraduates
In fraternities
0%
of men
In sororities
0%
of women
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Harvey Mudd College.

Other colleges in California parents ask about

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Common questions parents ask about Harvey Mudd College

What GPA do I need for Harvey Mudd College?

Most admitted students at Harvey Mudd College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.

What SAT or ACT score does Harvey Mudd College typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–36.

How much does Harvey Mudd College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Harvey Mudd College after grants and scholarships is $35,924 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $68,613. Budget against the net figure.

Is Harvey Mudd College realistic for my child?

Harvey Mudd College admits 12% of applicants, so 770–800 SAT Math is target range and below 770 is a reach. Then check the $35,924 average net price against what your family can carry.

What is the acceptance rate at Harvey Mudd College?

Harvey Mudd College accepts about 12% of applicants out of roughly 5,217 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.

Is Harvey Mudd College test-optional?

Yes. Harvey Mudd College is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.

What is the graduation rate at Harvey Mudd College?

About 93% of students at Harvey Mudd College graduate within six years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Harvey Mudd College?

Harvey Mudd College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 18%, compared with its overall rate of 12%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.

What does Harvey Mudd College look for in applicants?

Harvey Mudd College rates course rigor, GPA and recommendations as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.

Is Harvey Mudd College a public or private school, and where is it located?

Harvey Mudd College is a private nonprofit institution located in Claremont, California.

What are the most popular majors at Harvey Mudd College?

The largest undergraduate majors at Harvey Mudd College by annual graduates are Mathematics and Computer Science, Engineering, General and Computer Science. The school awards about 219 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is Harvey Mudd College safe? What is its campus crime rate?

Harvey Mudd College reported 12 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 13.0 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.

What is campus life like at Harvey Mudd College?

At Harvey Mudd College, 97% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.

Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Harvey Mudd College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers