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Loyola Marymount Pomona Chapman USD HMC USC Oxy SCU Scripps College UCLA UCSB Westmont College| Claremont McKenna College | Pepperdine University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
| Location | Claremont, CA | Malibu, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 1,384 | 9,545 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #17 | #143 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Churches of Christ | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | claremontmckenna.edu | pepperdine.edu | ||
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Costs |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,800 | $65,990 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,800 | $65,990 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,650 | $23,270 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,978 | $52,216 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $52,149 | $32,986 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 53% | 91% |
Admission |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,799 | 12,457 | ||
| Admitted | 645 | 6,210 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.1% | 49.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 49.8% | 11.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.74 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 26/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1450/1560 | 1250/1450 | ||
| 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 | Pepperdine | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $97,800 | $71,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,967 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $154 | $268 |
Diversity |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 18% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 44% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 47% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 17% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 4% |
Students |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 36% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 34% | ||
Campus |
Claremont McKenna | Pepperdine | ||
| 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
- Pepperdine University is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (9,545 students vs. 1,384 students)
Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine?
- Pepperdine University is 3.4% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($65,990.00 vs. $63,800.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at Pepperdine than Claremont McKenna College ($65,990.00 vs. $63,800.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than Pepperdine ($29,978 vs. $52,216)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 18.4% lower than costs at Pepperdine University ($19,650 vs. $23,270)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Pepperdine University than Claremont McKenna College (91% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 58.1% larger than aid received Pepperdine University ($52,149 vs. $32,986)
Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Pepperdine or Claremont McKenna .
- The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 182 points higher than at Pepperdine (1226)
- Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Pepperdine (28)
- Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Pepperdine (3.74)
- Pepperdine has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)
Claremont McKenna vs. Pepperdine Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Claremont McKenna or Pepperdine? 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 Pepperdine and Claremont McKenna.
- The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than Pepperdine University (91% vs. 81%)
- Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $26,100 more per year than Pepperdine graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $71,700)
- Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $11,033 lower median federal student loan debt than Pepperdine graduates. ($14,967 vs. $26,000)
- Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Pepperdine graduates. ($154 vs. $268)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/