Pomona vs. Amherst

Should I go to Pomona College or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pomona or Amherst 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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Pomona College vs. Amherst College comparison
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Pomona College Amherst College
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Overview

Pomona Amherst
Location Claremont, CA Amherst, MA
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,716 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #21 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pomona.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pomona Amherst
Tuition (In State) $58,818 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $58,818 $63,500
Room & Board $19,358 $16,750
Avg Net Price $19,962 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $57,848 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 58%

Admission

Pomona Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,666 14,864
Admitted 749 1,079
Acceptance Rate 7% 7.3%
Enrolled % 55.1% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1480/1560 1420/1550
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 8, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Pomona Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Pomona Amherst
Graduation Rate 95% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,500 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $113 $134

Diversity

Pomona Amherst
% Men 45% 48%
% Women 55% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 42%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 15% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Pomona Amherst
% In-State 24% 13%
% Out-of-State 55% 74%

Campus

Pomona Amherst
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

  • Amherst College is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,716 students)

Pomona vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pomona or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 8% more expensive to attend than Pomona for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $58,818.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at Amherst than Pomona College ($63,500.00 vs. $58,818.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pomona College than Amherst ($19,962 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 15.6% lower than costs at Pomona College ($16,750 vs. $19,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Pomona College (58% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 1.5% larger than aid received Pomona College ($58,693 vs. $57,848)

Pomona vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 16 points higher than at Pomona (1435)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Pomona (32)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Pomona (3.89)
  • Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (7.3%) than Pomona (7%)

Pomona vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pomona or Amherst? 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 Amherst and Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Pomona College (96% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $11,500 more per year than Pomona graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $70,500)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $1,975 lower median federal student loan debt than Amherst graduates. ($11,000 vs. $12,975)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Amherst graduates. ($113 vs. $134)

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