Pomona vs. MHC

Deciding between Pomona College and Mount Holyoke College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Pomona College
Mount Holyoke College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Pomona Claremont, CA
  • MHC South Hadley, MA
  • Setting
  • Pomona Large Suburban
  • MHC Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Pomona 1,700
  • MHC 2,275
  • Type
  • Pomona Private 4 Year
  • MHC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Pomona #20
  • MHC #81
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Pomona -
  • MHC -
  • Status
  • Pomona Non-profit
  • MHC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Pomona
  • MHC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Pomona $65,420
  • MHC $67,018
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Pomona $65,420
  • MHC $67,018
  • Room & Board
  • Pomona $21,394
  • MHC $19,684
  • Average Net Price
  • Pomona $19,938
  • MHC $32,526
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Pomona $65,362
  • MHC $52,418
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Pomona 59%
  • MHC 77%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Pomona 12,249
  • MHC 5,226
  • Admitted
  • Pomona 868
  • MHC 1,883
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Pomona 7.1%
  • MHC 36%
  • Enrolled
  • Pomona 50.2%
  • MHC 27.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Pomona 1530
  • MHC 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Pomona 34
  • MHC 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • Pomona 3.89
  • MHC 3.87
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Pomona A
  • MHC A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Pomona Elite
  • MHC Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Pomona Extreme
  • MHC High
  • ACT Range
  • Pomona 33/35
  • MHC 32/35
  • SAT Range
  • Pomona 1490/1560
  • MHC 1380/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Pomona Test optional
  • MHC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Pomona Jan 8, 2027
  • MHC Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Pomona 7:1
  • MHC 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Pomona
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
    • Physical Sciences (7%)
    • Psychology (6%)
  • MHC
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Pomona 95%
  • MHC 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Pomona $70,500
  • MHC $50,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Pomona -
  • MHC 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Pomona $11,000
  • MHC $21,206
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Pomona $113
  • MHC $219

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Pomona 45%
  • MHC 1%
  • % Women
  • Pomona 55%
  • MHC 99%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Pomona Very High
  • MHC Very High
  • HBCU
  • Pomona No
  • MHC No
  • % White
  • Pomona 40%
  • MHC 45%
  • % Asian
  • Pomona 14%
  • MHC 10%
  • % Black
  • Pomona 7%
  • MHC 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Pomona 15%
  • MHC 8%
  • % Native American
  • Pomona 0%
  • MHC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Pomona 0%
  • MHC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Pomona 8%
  • MHC 4%
  • % International
  • Pomona 10%
  • MHC 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Pomona 6%
  • MHC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Pomona 25%
  • MHC 19%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Pomona 50%
  • MHC 63%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Pomona Yes
  • MHC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Pomona No
  • MHC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Pomona Yes
  • MHC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Pomona No
  • MHC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Pomona No
  • MHC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Pomona College in Claremont, CA with Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Mount Holyoke College is larger than Pomona based on total student enrollment (2,275 students vs. 1,700 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Pomona College is located in Claremont, CA (Large Suburban setting); Mount Holyoke College is in South Hadley, MA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Pomona College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Mount Holyoke College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Pomona College 7:1; Mount Holyoke College 9:1.

Pomona vs. MHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pomona or MHC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pomona College than MHC ($19,938 vs. $32,526).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Holyoke College are 8% lower than at Pomona College ($19,684 vs. $21,394).
  • Mount Holyoke College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pomona (about $1,598 more per year; $67,018.00 vs. $65,420.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.4% higher at MHC than at Pomona College (about $1,598 more per year; $67,018.00 vs. $65,420.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than at Pomona College (77% vs. 59%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 24.7% larger than aid received by Mount Holyoke College students ($65,362 vs. $52,418).

Pomona vs. MHC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pomona or MHC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MHC and Pomona.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Pomona College (1530) is 70 points higher than at MHC (1460).
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (34 vs. 33 at MHC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Pomona College 1490/1560; Mount Holyoke College 1380/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Pomona College 33/35; Mount Holyoke College 32/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Pomona - Test optional; MHC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Pomona Jan 8, 2027; MHC Jan 15, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Pomona students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at MHC (3.87).
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (36%) than Pomona (7.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 50.2% at Pomona vs. 27.2% at MHC.

Pomona vs. MHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Pomona and MHC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Pomona College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Mount Holyoke College's (85%).
  • Graduates from Pomona College earn a median of about $20,500 more per year than MHC graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,500 vs. $50,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Pomona College graduates have a $10,206 lower median loan debt than MHC graduates ($11,000 vs. $21,206).
  • Among borrowers, Pomona graduates have an estimated $106 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than MHC graduates ($113 vs. $219).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.