Claremont McKenna vs. MHC

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Mount Holyoke College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or MHC 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. Mount Holyoke College comparison
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Claremont McKenna College Mount Holyoke College
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Overview

Claremont McKenna MHC
Location Claremont, CA South Hadley, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,384 2,330
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu mtholyoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna MHC
Tuition (In State) $63,800 $63,904
Tuition (Out of State) $63,800 $63,904
Room & Board $19,650 $18,838
Avg Net Price $29,978 $35,782
Avg Grant Aid $52,149 $41,823
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 75%

Admission

Claremont McKenna MHC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,799 5,030
Admitted 645 1,926
Acceptance Rate 11.1% 38.3%
Enrolled % 49.8% 30.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 31/33
SAT Range 1450/1560 1350/1500
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Claremont McKenna MHC
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna MHC
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $21,206
Median Loan Payment $154 $219

Diversity

Claremont McKenna MHC
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 0% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 45%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 17% 26%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

Claremont McKenna MHC
% In-State 36% 17%
% Out-of-State 45% 58%

Campus

Claremont McKenna MHC
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

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (2,330 students vs. 1,384 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. MHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or MHC?

  • Mount Holyoke College is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($63,904.00 vs. $63,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at MHC than Claremont McKenna College ($63,904.00 vs. $63,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than MHC ($29,978 vs. $35,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Holyoke College are 4.3% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($18,838 vs. $19,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than Claremont McKenna College (75% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 24.7% larger than aid received Mount Holyoke College ($52,149 vs. $41,823)

Claremont McKenna vs. MHC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at MHC (3.87)
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (38.3%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)

Claremont McKenna vs. MHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or MHC? 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 MHC and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than Mount Holyoke College (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $47,800 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $50,000)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $6,239 lower median federal student loan debt than MHC graduates. ($14,967 vs. $21,206)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than MHC graduates. ($154 vs. $219)

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