Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California · Private Nonprofit · 9.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 92/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Claremont McKenna College scores 92 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. It enrolls 1,388 students. Average 6-year earnings are $68,200; the payback period is 3.7 years; and the completion rate is 91.4%. Median debt of $13,500 is low. Net price of $28,849 reflects a strong aid model: families earning $30,001-$48,000 pay only $7,360 per year. The Scorecard reports only three programs with earnings data: Economics (124 graduates, $89,505 year-one, $146,524 year-four), International Relations and National Security (28 graduates, $96,520 at year four), and International Relations (34 graduates, $73,826 year-four). Economics at $146,524 year-four is the clearest signal of what a CMC education produces. The repayment rate data is imputed (not directly reported in the Scorecard), a minor caveat on an otherwise strong profile. CMC's focus on economics, government, and public affairs defines its academic identity, and the outcomes data confirm that identity delivers in the labor market.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.7 years. The median across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Claremont McKenna College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $67,980/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $67,980/yr |
| Average net price | $28,849/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $115,396 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $104,736 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $68,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $143 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 91.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,388 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $67,980/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,849/year, or roughly $115,396 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $15,308/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $52,295/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $13,500, which works out to about $143 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($68,200) and comes to 0.20, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $15,308 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,360 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,389 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,325 |
| $110,001+ | $52,295 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $15,308 per year at CMC, and the 30001-48000 bracket pays only $7,360. Four years at $7,360 totals $29,440. The challenge is admission itself at 9.6%.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,389 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $19,325. Middle-income families face very reasonable net costs. At $16,389-$19,325 annually, four-year all-in cost runs $65,556-$77,300. Against average 6-year earnings of $68,200, the payback math is favorable.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $52,295 per year - roughly $209,000 over four years. At a 3.7-year payback and $68,200 average 6-year earnings, the full-pay case is financially solid. For Economics or finance-track students, year-one earnings near $89,000 mean the four-year all-in cost is recovered in approximately two years of working.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Claremont McKenna College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $146,524 | A |
| International Relations | $73,826 | - |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $96,520 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Economics
Economics is CMC's defining program and its strongest ROI signal: 124 graduates, $89,505 year-one, $146,524 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.134 (ROI grade A). Median debt of $12,000 against $89,505 year-one earnings means most graduates pay off their debt in less than a year of working. The four-year figure of $146k reflects CMC's direct pipeline into Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Bain, and similar firms.
International Relations
International Relations (34 graduates) earns $42,552 year-one and $73,826 year-four. The Scorecard does not report median debt or a debt-to-earnings ratio for this program. Year-one earnings are below the Economics cohort, consistent with students entering government, think tanks, or graduate school rather than private sector finance. The four-year jump to $73,826 reflects the career arcs typical of policy-oriented CMC graduates moving into consulting or senior government roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Claremont McKenna College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 9.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 750-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 720-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 33-35 |
| Enrollment | 1,388 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 18.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $16,701 |
CMC's admission rate is 9.6%. SAT Math 750-790 and Reading 720-770, ACT 33-35 describe the middle half. CMC's application pool skews toward students with demonstrated interest in economics, government, or leadership - the admissions committee reads for fit with the college's civic and professional mission, not just academic achievement. The meet-full-need aid model means cost should not be a disqualifier for admitted students below $110,000 household income.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
CMC's economics program has year-four earnings of $146,524. Its completion rate of 91.4% is strong.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College (this school) | 92 | $28,849 | $104,736 |
| Bowdoin College | 92 | $14,398 | $82,735 |
| Swarthmore College | 92 | $23,149 | $80,257 |
| Haverford College | 87 | $25,314 | $79,966 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
CMC admits 9.6% of applicants with SAT ranges of 750-790 Math and 720-770 Reading; ACT 33-35 composite. At 1,388 students, the campus is intimate by design. Students interested in finance, consulting, policy, economics, and law cluster here. The Block Plan (a shared curriculum model across the Claremont Colleges) gives CMC students access to a broader course catalog. Highly quantitative students leaning toward economics or financial careers are the core demographic.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Claremont McKenna College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $115,396 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $104,736 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 3.7 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 91.4% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $13,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $68,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.20: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Claremont McKenna College: Common Questions
Is Claremont McKenna College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Claremont McKenna College pays off. It scores 92/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $28,849 a year after aid ($115,396 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $104,736 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 3.7 years to earn back.
How much does Claremont McKenna College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $28,849 a year, or roughly $115,396 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Claremont McKenna College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $104,736 ten years after enrolling, roughly $62,936 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Claremont McKenna College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 3.7 years for Claremont McKenna College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Claremont McKenna College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $13,500, against average earnings of $68,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.20. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Claremont McKenna College?
The six-year graduation rate is 91.4%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.