Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California · Private Nonprofit · 12.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 92/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Harvey Mudd College scores 92 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. The fundamentals are exceptional across nearly every metric: $87,200 median 6-year earnings (among the highest of any institution in this dataset), a 2.7-year payback period, 91.9% completion rate, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.287. Sticker tuition is $68,613 and net price is $35,924 - expensive in absolute terms but defensible at this earnings velocity. The repayment rate sub-score is 50 because Scorecard does not report repayment data for Harvey Mudd; the dataCompleteness score of 0.8 reflects this gap. The three programs reported - Mathematics and Computer Science (44 grads, A, $166,573 yr1), Computer Science (55 grads, A, $132,265 yr1), and Engineering General (53 grads, A, $92,491 yr1) - are among the highest year-one earnings of any programs in the full dataset. Harvey Mudd is a small STEM-only liberal arts college in Claremont, California, with 921 students and a 12.7% admission rate. It is one of the Claremont Colleges. The 10-year median earnings of $138,687 confirms the sustained earnings trajectory for Mudd graduates.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 2.7 years. The national average for 4-year schools is closer to 8-10 years.
Harvey Mudd College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,613/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,613/yr |
| Average net price | $35,924/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $143,696 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $138,687 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $87,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 2.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 91.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 921 |
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: $68,613/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $35,924/year, or roughly $143,696 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 $27,979/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $50,665/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $25,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $138,687 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.29, 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 | $27,979 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,883 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,968 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,468 |
| $110,001+ | $50,665 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $27,979 per year. Against $87,200 median 6-year earnings and a 2.7-year payback, even the lowest-income bracket achieves payback within any standard loan term. Mudd's financial aid for low-income students is strong relative to the sticker price; the 48001-75000 band ($17,968) is actually lower than the low-income band, reflecting need-based award calibration.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $17,968 (the lowest net price band in the data - lower than low-income, which is unusual and may reflect aid formula interactions) and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $25,468. At $25,468, the 7.4-year payback at the institutional level is still very strong. Middle-income families at this bracket are paying a moderate amount for exceptional outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $50,665 per year. Over four years, roughly $202,000. At $87,200 median 6-year earnings and a 2.7-year payback, the financial case at full cost is among the strongest in the dataset. CS and Math/CS program graduates could retire their full four-year cost in a single year of post-graduation income. Harvey Mudd is one of the few institutions where full-pay is clearly justified by the Scorecard data.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Harvey Mudd College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $198,257 | A |
| Engineering, General | $122,845 | A |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | $166,573 | A |
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.
Mathematics and Computer Science
Mathematics and Computer Science (44 graduates) earns $166,573 year one (no year-four figure reported), with an A grade (debt-to-earnings 0.138, median debt $23,000). Year-one earnings of $167k are extraordinary for a bachelor's program - reflecting placement into top-tier technology firms and quantitative finance roles. The debt ratio of 0.138 means graduates could theoretically pay off their debt in roughly two months of gross income. This is one of the strongest program outcomes in the full dataset.
Computer Science
Computer Science (55 graduates) earns $132,265 year one and $198,257 at year four, with an A grade (debt-to-earnings 0.174, median debt $22,949). Year-one earnings of $132k and four-year earnings approaching $200k confirm elite-tier technology and software placement. The debt ratio of 0.174 is negligible relative to the earnings power. Harvey Mudd CS graduates compete directly with graduates from MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Caltech for the same roles at major technology employers.
Engineering, General
Engineering General (53 graduates) earns $92,491 year one and $122,845 at year four, with an A grade (debt-to-earnings 0.240, median debt $22,240). Year-one engineering earnings of $92k are well above the national median for engineering bachelor's graduates. This category aggregates across Mudd's engineering disciplines (electrical, mechanical, computer). The four-year trajectory to $123k is consistent with senior engineering roles in aerospace, defense, and technology.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Harvey Mudd College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 12.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 770-800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 730-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 34-36 |
| Enrollment | 921 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $15,352 |
At 12.7%, Harvey Mudd is highly selective - on par with most Ivy League institutions. SAT 770-800 Math is the defining threshold: the 25th-percentile Math score of 770 is higher than the 75th-percentile Math score of most other colleges. ACT 34-36 composite. Admission evaluates exceptional mathematical and scientific preparation, research experience, and genuine STEM passion. Students without a demonstrated track record in competitive math, science, or engineering will find admission very difficult.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Scorecard peers include Haverford College, Swarthmore College, and The Cooper Union. These are comparably selective institutions but with different missions; Haverford and Swarthmore are broad liberal arts colleges, Cooper Union is a specialized arts and engineering school. Harvey Mudd's ROI of 92 reflects its single-purpose STEM focus - a structural advantage that Haverford and Swarthmore, with their humanities-heavy program mixes, cannot match on raw earnings metrics. Among STEM-specialist colleges nationally, Mudd is in the top tier alongside MIT, Caltech, and Carnegie Mellon.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Mudd College (this school) | 92 | $35,924 | $138,687 |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | 94 | $13,269 | $83,847 |
| 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
Harvey Mudd admits 12.7% of applicants, placing it among the most selective STEM colleges nationally. SAT mid-ranges are 770-800 Math and 730-770 Reading; ACT 34-36 composite. These are the strongest test ranges in this dataset. Enrollment of 921 is very small. Pell grant rate of 15.2% indicates a predominantly non-low-income student body, though the institution provides strong need-based aid. Harvey Mudd attracts students with exceptional quantitative ability and genuine interest in STEM research and innovation. The Claremont Colleges consortium provides access to humanities and social sciences coursework alongside Mudd's rigorous STEM core.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Harvey Mudd 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 $143,696 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $138,687 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 2.7 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 91.9% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. A median $25,000 owed against $138,687 in annual earnings is very manageable - comfortably inside the advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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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.