Claremont McKenna vs. USC

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or University of Southern California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or USC 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 UCLA Stanford NYU Loyola Marymount HMC Cornell UC Berkeley UCSD Notre Dame Emory Northwestern
Claremont McKenna College vs. University of Southern California comparison
Claremont McKenna College University of Southern California College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College University of Southern California
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna USC
Location Claremont, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,389 48,945
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna USC
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $63,468
Room & Board $18,712 $17,436
Avg Net Price $28,701 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 71%

Admission

Claremont McKenna USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 69,062
Admitted 591 8,304
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 12%
Enrolled % 54.5% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1450/1550
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

Academics

Claremont McKenna USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna USC
Graduation Rate 91% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments - 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $154 $231

Diversity

Claremont McKenna USC
% Men 49% 46%
% Women 51% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 40%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 17% 13%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

Claremont McKenna USC
% In-State 42% 42%
% Out-of-State 41% 40%

Campus

Claremont McKenna USC
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

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 4.9% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at USC than Claremont McKenna College ($63,468.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Claremont McKenna College than USC ($28,701 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 7.3% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($17,436 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Claremont McKenna College (71% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 10.5% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($50,020 vs. $45,262)

Claremont McKenna vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 17 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming USC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

Claremont McKenna vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of Southern California (91% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $12,300 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $85,500)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $7,408 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($14,967 vs. $22,375)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($154 vs. $231)

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