Claremont McKenna vs. Stanford

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

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Location Claremont, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,384 18,446
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Tuition (In State) $63,800 $61,731
Tuition (Out of State) $63,800 $61,731
Room & Board $19,650 $19,922
Avg Net Price $29,978 $17,998
Avg Grant Aid $52,149 $64,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 55%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,799 53,733
Admitted 645 2,099
Acceptance Rate 11.1% 3.9%
Enrolled % 49.8% 80.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1450/1560 1510/1580
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 2, 2026

Academics

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments - 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $154 $128

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Stanford
% Men 0% 31%
% Women 0% 25%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 37%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 10%
% International 17% 9%
% Unknown Race 6% 0%

Students

Claremont McKenna Stanford
% In-State 36% 37%
% Out-of-State 45% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stanford University is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 1,384 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Stanford?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 3.4% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($63,800.00 vs. $61,731.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at Claremont McKenna than Stanford University ($63,800.00 vs. $61,731.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Claremont McKenna ($17,998 vs. $29,978)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 1.4% lower than costs at Stanford University ($19,650 vs. $19,922)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Claremont McKenna College (55% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 23% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($64,164 vs. $52,149)

Claremont McKenna vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 71 points higher than at Claremont McKenna (1408)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Claremont McKenna (3.89)
  • Claremont McKenna has a higher acceptance rate (11.1%) than Stanford (3.9%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Claremont McKenna College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $25,100 more per year than Claremont McKenna graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $97,800)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $2,492 lower median federal student loan debt than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($12,475 vs. $14,967)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($128 vs. $154)

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