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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Harvard Pomona Caltech MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Yale Princeton UChicago Northwestern
Claremont McKenna College vs. Stanford University comparison
Claremont McKenna College Stanford University College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Stanford University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Location Claremont, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,389 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $57,693
Room & Board $18,712 $18,619
Avg Net Price $28,701 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 53%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 56,378
Admitted 591 2,075
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 3.7%
Enrolled % 54.5% 83.7%
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 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1500/1580
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, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Claremont McKenna Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 5:1
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 49% 53%
% Women 51% 47%
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 42% 35%
% Out-of-State 41% 48%

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 (18,283 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Stanford?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 4.8% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($60,480.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at Claremont McKenna than Stanford University ($60,480.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Claremont McKenna ($18,279 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stanford University are 0.5% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($18,619 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Claremont McKenna College (53% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 21.2% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($60,619 vs. $50,020)

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 (10.4%) than Stanford (3.7%)

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/