Claremont McKenna vs. Northwestern

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

Pomona UChicago Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Stanford Loyola
Claremont McKenna College vs. Northwestern University comparison
Claremont McKenna College Northwestern University College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Northwestern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
Location Claremont, CA Evanston, IL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,389 23,161
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $62,391
Room & Board $18,712 $19,440
Avg Net Price $28,701 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 50%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 51,261
Admitted 591 3,695
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 7.2%
Enrolled % 54.5% 55.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1490/1570
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 1, 2025

Academics

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
Graduation Rate 91% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $154 $200

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
% Men 49% 46%
% Women 51% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 50%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 17% 8%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Claremont McKenna Northwestern
% In-State 42% 22%
% Out-of-State 41% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Northwestern than Claremont McKenna College ($62,391.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Claremont McKenna ($22,095 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 3.9% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($18,712 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Claremont McKenna College (50% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 23.4% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($61,716 vs. $50,020)

Claremont McKenna vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 52 points higher than at Claremont McKenna (1408)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Claremont McKenna (3.89)
  • Claremont McKenna has a higher acceptance rate (10.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Claremont McKenna College (94% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $8,000 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $89,800)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $4,411 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($14,967 vs. $19,378)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($154 vs. $200)

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