Scripps College
Claremont, California · Private Nonprofit · 38.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 78/100 · Strong Value
Scripps College scores 78 (Strong Value) on CampusROI, a strong result for a women's liberal arts college with no programs data and a sticker price of $65,950. The score is driven by excellent debt metrics: median debt of $13,500 (the lowest in this batch by a significant margin), a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.304, and a 6.7-year payback period. Median 6-year earnings of $44,400 are moderate for a highly selective institution, but the low debt load makes the overall financial structure work. The 82.5% completion rate is solid. No program-level Scorecard data is available, which limits granular analysis but reflects the breadth of the Claremont Colleges consortium -- Scripps students cross-register extensively, and degree-completion data may not map cleanly to a single institution. Ten-year earnings of $77,539 suggest meaningful career advancement, likely reflecting graduate school placement and professional track mobility. Repayment rate data is imputed (not directly observed), which reduces the data completeness score to 0.8.
Scripps College scores in the top 25% of all schools we track, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Scripps College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $65,950/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $65,950/yr |
| Average net price | $36,294/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $145,176 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $77,539 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $44,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $143 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 82.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,113 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Scripps College is $65,950/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $36,294/year, or roughly $145,176 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $6,948/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $54,572/year.
The median graduate leaves with $13,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $143 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $77,539 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.30 - well within manageable territory.
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 | $6,948 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,522 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,831 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $36,472 |
| $110,001+ | $54,572 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $6,948 per year at Scripps -- $27,792 over four years. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $4,522, the lowest in the income schedule. These figures represent aggressive low-income aid for a highly selective private college, making Scripps effectively free for many low-income admitted students. Against $44,400 median 6-year earnings and a 6.7-year payback, the financial case for low-income families with admitted students is strong. The 82.5% completion rate reduces non-completion risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $15,831 per year -- a significant step up from the lower brackets. The 75001-110000 bracket rises to $36,472. Middle-income families in the $48,000-$75,000 range face approximately $63,000 in four-year cost, which is manageable. The $75,000-$110,000 bracket faces $146,000 over four years -- a much steeper increase. The Claremont Colleges consortium access and California labor market positioning provide meaningful qualitative return for this income tier.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $54,572 per year -- approximately $218,000 over four years. Median debt of $13,500 indicates that even at these price points, many students do not borrow near the full cost, suggesting either family ability to cash-flow some expenses or additional scholarship packaging not captured in the net price figure. At $44,400 median 6-year earnings and $77,539 at 10 years, the long-run trajectory provides some support for the full-pay case for students targeting law, graduate school, or professional careers with strong long-run earnings.
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 | 90.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 38.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 720-770 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 720-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 1,113 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 11.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,213 |
At 38.3% admission, Scripps is selective without reaching the hyper-selective tier of the most competitive liberal arts colleges. SAT 720-770 Math and Reading and ACT 31-34 describe a high-achieving admitted cohort. Scripps students gain access to all five Claremont Colleges -- this cross-registration feature makes Scripps enrollment function more like admission to a five-college ecosystem than to a single 1,113-student institution. The women's college environment and humanities/social science focus shape the applicant pool toward students seeking that specific context.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Scripps's Scorecard peer schools include Art Center College of Design, Azusa Pacific University, William Jewell College, Hampden-Sydney College, and Whitman College. These are not meaningful academic peers. The appropriate comparison set is other highly selective women's liberal arts colleges in the Seven Sisters tradition: Wellesley, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Barnard, and Bryn Mawr. Scripps's ROI of 78 and median debt of $13,500 are competitive within that group -- the low debt figure is a genuine differentiator. Wellesley (ROI approximately 90-92) and Barnard (approximately 85-88) score higher on this metric, largely because their New York and Boston location premiums drive higher earnings. Scripps's Southern California location and Claremont consortium access are strategic assets not fully captured in the Scorecard's earnings data.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps College (this school) | 78 | $36,294 | $77,539 |
| Barnard College | 90 | $28,800 | $80,516 |
| Bryn Mawr College | 74 | $31,759 | $75,217 |
| Smith College | 73 | $27,579 | $64,027 |
| Simmons University | 72 | $25,265 | $63,494 |
| St Catherine University | 66 | $19,764 | $59,282 |
Who Thrives Here
Scripps admits 38.3% of applicants, placing it in the selective tier. SAT mid-ranges are 720-770 Math and 720-770 Reading; ACT 31-34. Enrollment is 1,113 -- very small, creating an intimate academic environment. Pell rate of 11% is low, consistent with the socioeconomic profile typical of highly selective liberal arts colleges. As a women's college in the Claremont Colleges consortium, Scripps provides access to five-college cross-registration with Harvey Mudd, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer -- effectively multiplying academic and social resources without the costs of a large university. Los Angeles and the broader Southern California labor market are accessible for graduates.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Scripps College delivers above-average financial returns for its graduates. At a net cost of $36,294 per year ($145,176 over four years), graduates earn a median of $77,539 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback period at roughly 6.7 years - a solid return on the investment.
The data highlights several strengths: a 82.5% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $13,500 is very manageable against $77,539 in annual earnings - well within the financial 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.