Claremont McKenna vs. Wellesley

Should I go to Claremont McKenna College or Wellesley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Claremont McKenna or Wellesley 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 Barnard HMC USC Vassar Tufts Oxy Amherst Scripps College BU BC MHC
Claremont McKenna College vs. Wellesley College comparison
Claremont McKenna College Wellesley College College 3 College 4
Claremont McKenna College Wellesley College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
Location Claremont, CA Wellesley, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,389 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #18 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claremontmckenna.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $60,480 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $60,480 $61,584
Room & Board $18,712 $19,080
Avg Net Price $28,701 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $50,020 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 59%

Admission

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,709 8,491
Admitted 591 1,152
Acceptance Rate 10.4% 13.6%
Enrolled % 54.5% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1430/1550
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 Jan 8, 2025

Academics

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
Graduation Rate 91% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $97,800 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,967 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $154 $92

Diversity

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
% Men 49% 1%
% Women 51% 99%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 40%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 17% 12%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Claremont McKenna Wellesley
% In-State 42% 11%
% Out-of-State 41% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wellesley College is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (2,447 students vs. 1,389 students)

Claremont McKenna vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claremont McKenna or Wellesley?

  • Wellesley College is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Claremont McKenna for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Wellesley than Claremont McKenna College ($61,584.00 vs. $60,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Claremont McKenna ($21,362 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 2% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($18,712 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than Claremont McKenna College (59% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 22.6% larger than aid received Claremont McKenna College ($61,328 vs. $50,020)

Claremont McKenna vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 39 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

Claremont McKenna vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Claremont McKenna College (92% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $29,700 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $6,067 lower median federal student loan debt than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($8,900 vs. $14,967)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($92 vs. $154)

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