Claremont McKenna vs. Amherst

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or Amherst is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Claremont McKenna College vs. Amherst College comparison
Claremont McKenna College Amherst College College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Amherst College
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Overview

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Location Claremont, CA Amherst, MA
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,389 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $63,500
Room & Board $18,712 $16,750
Avg Net Price $28,701 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 58%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 14,864
Admitted 591 1,079
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 7.3%
Enrolled % 54.5% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1420/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $154 $134

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Amherst
% Men 49% 48%
% Women 51% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 42%
% Black 4% 12%
% Hispanic 14% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 17% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Claremont McKenna Amherst
% In-State 42% 13%
% Out-of-State 41% 74%

Campus

Claremont McKenna Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 5% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at Amherst than Claremont McKenna College ($63,500.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Claremont McKenna ($21,367 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 11.7% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($16,750 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Claremont McKenna College (58% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 17.3% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($58,693 vs. $50,020)

Claremont McKenna vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Claremont McKenna or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or Claremont McKenna .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 43 points higher than at Claremont McKenna (1408)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Claremont McKenna (3.89)
  • Claremont McKenna has a higher acceptance rate (10.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or Amherst? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Amherst and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Claremont McKenna College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $15,800 more per year than Amherst graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $82,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $1,992 lower median federal student loan debt than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($12,975 vs. $14,967)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($134 vs. $154)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/