Claremont McKenna vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or Lafayette College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Lehigh Bucknell Pomona Villanova HMC USC Fordham Union College Skidmore College Colgate University of Richmond Trinity College
Claremont McKenna College vs. Lafayette College comparison
Claremont McKenna College Lafayette College College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Lafayette College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
Location Claremont, CA Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,389 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #65
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $58,110
Room & Board $18,712 $17,336
Avg Net Price $28,701 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 98%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 10,500
Admitted 591 3,531
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 33.6%
Enrolled % 54.5% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 30/33
SAT Range 1440/1550 1330/1480
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 15, 2025

Academics

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 91% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $154 $268

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
% Men 49% 50%
% Women 51% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 67%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 17% 9%
% Unknown Race 6% 7%

Students

Claremont McKenna Lafayette College
% In-State 42% 16%
% Out-of-State 41% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Lafayette College?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($60,480.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Claremont McKenna than Lafayette College ($60,480.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than Lafayette College ($28,701 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lafayette College are 7.9% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($17,336 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Claremont McKenna College (98% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 100.2% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($50,020 vs. $24,981)

Claremont McKenna vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 114 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (33.6%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than Lafayette College (91% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $16,800 more per year than Lafayette College graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $81,000)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $11,033 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($14,967 vs. $26,000)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($154 vs. $268)

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