Pomona College
Claremont, California · Private Nonprofit · 7.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 90/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Pomona College admits just 7% of applicants. With 1,666 undergraduates in Claremont, California, the school operates at a scale where students get close faculty access. The ROI score of 90 reflects genuinely strong financial outcomes: earnings reach $51,200 six years out and a median $77,779 at ten years, on a net price of $19,285 average. The payback period is 5.1 years - fast for a school with $65,420 sticker tuition. Debt at graduation is low: median $11,782, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 puts borrowers in a comfortable repayment position. The completion rate is 93.2%. Economics and Computer Science are the dominant high-earning pathways, but the Claremont Colleges consortium structure gives students access to courses, faculty, and social networks across five campuses. Pomona punches above its size on graduate school placement and mid-career earnings, aided by a culture that sends many graduates into finance, tech, consulting, and professional graduate programs.
At 0.23, median debt is less than a quarter of average earnings six years after entry. A ratio of 1.0 would mean owing a full year of those earnings.
Pomona College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $65,420/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $65,420/yr |
| Average net price | $19,285/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,140 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $77,779 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $51,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $11,782 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $125 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 93.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,666 |
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: $65,420/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,285/year, or roughly $77,140 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 $4,841/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,842/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $11,782, which works out to about $125 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($51,200) and comes to 0.23, 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 | $4,841 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,026 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,054 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,719 |
| $110,001+ | $37,842 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay a median net price of $4,841 per year at Pomona - roughly $19,000 for a four-year degree. That is exceptional for a private college with $65,420 sticker tuition. Pomona meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and does so without loans in its aid packages for most students. For a low-income student who gains admission, the cost of attendance is low.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30-48k bracket pays $7,026 per year - still very affordable. The 48-75k bracket jumps to $17,054, and the 75-110k bracket actually drops slightly to $15,719. The pricing curve is not perfectly smooth, but the overall progression stays well below the sticker price for most middle-income families. A family at $80,000 income paying $15,719/year is getting a private liberal arts education at public university prices.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning above $110,000 pay $37,842 on average - about 58% of sticker price, still well below full cost. Given a 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio school-wide and median 10-year earnings of $77,779, paying $37-38k per year is defensible for high-income families who can afford it. The school's endowment ensures that most aid goes to need-based applicants, so wealthy families are subsidizing the system.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Pomona College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $96,702 | - |
| Computer Science | $217,051 | - |
| Mathematics | $50,712 | - |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $39,967 | - |
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 Pomona's largest graduate group at 67, and the earnings trajectory is strong: $70,051 median earnings within one year of graduation, climbing to $96,702 at four years out. Pomona Economics graduates land in financial services, consulting, and government roles. No debt data is available for this program, but school-wide median debt of $11,782 keeps cost-to-earnings ratios manageable. Employers recruiting at small liberal arts colleges often prefer Pomona graduates for analytical and communication skills that engineering-focused schools do not emphasize.
Computer Science
Computer Science delivers one-year earnings of $143,084 - a figure that reflects strong software engineering placement, likely at tech companies in the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. At four years out, the median reaches $217,051. With 49 graduates, the program is small enough that each student likely benefits from close mentorship. Pomona CS graduates compete on liberal arts credentials alongside technical skills, which differentiates them in product management, UX, and startup roles. No debt data is available, but school-wide debt figures ($11,782 median) indicate low borrowing relative to these outcomes.
Mathematics
Mathematics graduates (39) show one-year median earnings of $50,712. Four-year data is not available. Math from a selective liberal arts college is a versatile credential - graduates go into actuarial science, quantitative finance, data science, graduate programs in statistics and economics, and teaching. Starting salaries near $51K are modest but the long-run trajectory for quantitative graduates at selective schools is typically strong. No debt figures are available for this program.
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 | 88.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Pomona 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 | 7.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 750-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 740-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 33-35 |
| Enrollment | 1,666 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 19.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $15,085 |
Pomona admits 7.09% of applicants. Admitted students cluster tightly: SAT Math 750-790, SAT Reading 740-770, ACT 33-35. Qualitative factors - essays, teacher recommendations, and evidence of intellectual engagement - separate applicants at this level.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomona College (this school) | 90 | $19,285 | $77,779 |
| Bowdoin College | 92 | $14,398 | $82,735 |
| Swarthmore College | 92 | $23,149 | $80,257 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
The admitted student at Pomona scores in the 33-35 ACT range (750-790 SAT Math, 740-770 SAT Reading). About 20% of students receive Pell grants, meaning this is not exclusively a wealthy-family school - the financial aid is genuinely deep for lower-income students. Students who succeed here are academically driven and self-directed. The intimate 1,666-person campus means everyone competes for the same research spots and faculty mentorship. Students who want a big state school social scene or Division I athletics should look elsewhere.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Pomona 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 $77,140 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $77,779 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 5.1 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 93.2% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $11,782 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $51,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Pomona College: Common Questions
Is Pomona College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Pomona College pays off. It scores 90/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $19,285 a year after aid ($77,140 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $77,779 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.1 years to earn back.
How much does Pomona 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 $19,285 a year, or roughly $77,140 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 Pomona College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $77,779 ten years after enrolling, roughly $35,979 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 Pomona 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 5.1 years for Pomona College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pomona College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $11,782, against average earnings of $51,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23. 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 Pomona College?
The six-year graduation rate is 93.2%, 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.