Pitzer College
Claremont, California · Private Nonprofit · 25.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 74/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Pitzer College earns a Fair Value tier with an ROI score of 74 out of 100, reflective of its position as a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium. The Claremont, California liberal arts college posts a $65,192 sticker tuition with a $34,191 net price after aid, putting four-year cost-of-attendance at $136,764. The dominant strengths on the score sheet are an excellent 83.4% completion rate and an 87.4% three-year repayment rate, both signals of an academically prepared and financially supported student body. Average 6-year earnings of $37,300 are modest because Pitzer graduates often pursue graduate school or social-impact careers, but median 10-year earnings nearly double to $69,512, indicating strong eventual outcomes. Median debt is just $16,750, producing a 0.449 debt-to-earnings ratio and an 8-year payback period. The earnings premium subscore of 55 is the lowest sub-score, reflecting that Pitzer's progressive liberal arts curriculum doesn't push graduates into the highest-paying first jobs, but the long-term outcomes catch up.
Pitzer College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $65,192/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $65,192/yr |
| Average net price | $34,191/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $136,764 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $69,512 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $178 |
| Estimated payback period | 8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 83.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,227 |
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: $65,192/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $34,191/year, or roughly $136,764 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 $14,535/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $46,793/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,750, which works out to about $178 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,300) and comes to 0.45, 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 | $14,535 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,769 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,846 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,452 |
| $110,001+ | $46,793 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30K pay $14,535 net annually, while $30,001-48,000 households pay materially less at just $7,769. That four-year burden of $31K-$58K is genuinely accessible at this caliber of institution, reflecting Pitzer's strong need-based aid commitment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $20,846 to $29,452 net annually, putting four-year costs near $83K-$118K. The progression is steep here as institutional aid drops off, and this bracket should run the calculator carefully.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $46,793 net annually, or $187K over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Pitzer College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources Conservation | $21,570 | D |
| International Relations | $68,831 | - |
| Human Resources Management | $89,636 | - |
| Economics | $59,767 | - |
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.
Natural Resources Conservation
Natural Resources Conservation is Pitzer's signature environmental program with 36 graduates per year, the largest cohort reported. First-year median earnings of just $21,570 are quite low against $17,750 median debt, producing a 0.823 debt-to-earnings ratio and D ROI grade in the immediate post-graduation window. Pitzer's environmental-analysis program is highly regarded academically and many graduates enter conservation, environmental law, or graduate research, making the early-career data misleading for committed students.
International Relations
International Relations has 31 graduates per year with a four-year median earnings of $68,831. First-year earnings, debt, and ROI grade are not reported. Pitzer's interdisciplinary approach to IR (combining language, area studies, and policy) is a genuine differentiator for students considering State Department or international NGO careers.
Human Resources Management
Human Resources Management has 25 graduates per year with a strong four-year median earnings of $89,636. First-year earnings, debt, and ROI grade are not reported. The four-year figure is quite high for a small SLAC HR cohort and likely reflects placement into corporate HR roles in the Los Angeles labor market combined with the Claremont consortium's strong recruiting pipeline.
Economics
Economics has 19 graduates per year with first-year median earnings of $59,767. Four-year earnings, debt, and ROI grade are not reported. The first-year figure is consistent with SLAC economics outcomes and reflects placement into financial services, consulting, and graduate economics PhD pipelines.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 84.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 87.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Pitzer 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 | 25.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,227 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 10.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,503 |
Pitzer admits 25.2% of applicants, classifying as highly selective. SAT and ACT scores are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with Pitzer's test-blind admissions policy adopted in 2020. The 83.4% completion rate is excellent and reflects both rigorous selectivity and the strong support infrastructure of the Claremont Colleges consortium.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitzer College (this school) | 74 | $34,191 | $69,512 |
| Bryn Mawr College | 74 | $31,759 | $75,217 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
Pitzer fits academically prepared students drawn to a progressive interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum focused on social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and intercultural understanding. With just 1,227 enrolled and a 10.6% Pell rate, the student body skews substantially upper-middle-class. Best fit for students planning graduate school in the social sciences, public policy, or international relations, or pursuing careers in nonprofit and impact-oriented sectors.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pitzer College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $34,191 a year after aid ($136,764 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $69,512 a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 83.4% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $16,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Pitzer College: Common Questions
Is Pitzer College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pitzer College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 74/100 on our ROI scale. At $34,191 a year after aid ($136,764 over four years) against $69,512 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Pitzer 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 $34,191 a year, or roughly $136,764 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 Pitzer College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $69,512 ten years after enrolling, roughly $27,712 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 Pitzer 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 8 years for Pitzer College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pitzer College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,750, against average earnings of $37,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Pitzer College?
The six-year graduation rate is 83.4%, 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.