Claremont McKenna vs. San Diego State

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or San Diego State 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. San Diego State University comparison
Claremont McKenna College San Diego State University College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College San Diego State University
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Overview

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
Location Claremont, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,389 37,402
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $17,622
Room & Board $18,712 $19,714
Avg Net Price $28,701 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 43%

Admission

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 77,250
Admitted 591 30,331
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 39.3%
Enrolled % 54.5% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 22/29
SAT Range 1440/1550 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
Graduation Rate 91% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $154 $158

Diversity

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 34%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 17% 6%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Claremont McKenna San Diego State
% In-State 42% 77%
% Out-of-State 41% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or San Diego State?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 953.3% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($60,480.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 243.2% higher at Claremont McKenna than San Diego State University ($60,480.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Claremont McKenna ($13,017 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 5.4% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,712 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Claremont McKenna College than San Diego State University (49% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 403.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($50,020 vs. $9,934)

Claremont McKenna vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 278 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

Claremont McKenna vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claremont McKenna or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Claremont McKenna.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than San Diego State University (91% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $44,400 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $53,400)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $382 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($14,967 vs. $15,349)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($154 vs. $158)

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