Claremont McKenna vs. USF

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or University of San Francisco? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or USF 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 San Francisco State HMC USC USD SCU Oxy Scripps College UCSC Seattle U UC Berkeley Stanford
Claremont McKenna College vs. University of San Francisco comparison
Claremont McKenna College University of San Francisco College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College University of San Francisco
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna USF
Location Claremont, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,384 9,212
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #116
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna USF
Tuition (In State) $63,800 $57,670
Tuition (Out of State) $63,800 $57,670
Room & Board $19,650 $17,300
Avg Net Price $29,978 $44,104
Avg Grant Aid $52,149 $32,492
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 97%

Admission

Claremont McKenna USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,799 25,709
Admitted 645 13,052
Acceptance Rate 11.1% 50.8%
Enrolled % 49.8% 8.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 26/31
SAT Range 1450/1560 1210/1390
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 USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna USF
Graduation Rate 91% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $154 $258

Diversity

Claremont McKenna USF
% Men 0% 13%
% Women 0% 24%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 27%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 17% 19%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Claremont McKenna USF
% In-State 36% 58%
% Out-of-State 45% 32%

Campus

Claremont McKenna USF
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

  • University of San Francisco is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (9,212 students vs. 1,384 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or USF?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 10.6% more expensive to attend than USF for in-state tuition ($63,800.00 vs. $57,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.6% higher at Claremont McKenna than University of San Francisco ($63,800.00 vs. $57,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than USF ($29,978 vs. $44,104)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 13.6% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($17,300 vs. $19,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than Claremont McKenna College (97% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 60.5% larger than aid received University of San Francisco ($52,149 vs. $32,492)

Claremont McKenna vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 236 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)

Claremont McKenna vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of San Francisco (91% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $27,400 more per year than USF graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $70,400)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $10,033 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($14,967 vs. $25,000)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($154 vs. $258)

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