UC Berkeley vs. Claremont McKenna

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or Claremont McKenna College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or Claremont McKenna 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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University of California Berkeley vs. Claremont McKenna College comparison
University of California Berkeley Claremont McKenna College College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley Claremont McKenna College
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Overview

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
Location Berkeley, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 45,699 1,384
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu claremontmckenna.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $63,800
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $63,800
Room & Board $22,692 $19,650
Avg Net Price $16,997 $29,978
Avg Grant Aid $25,951 $52,149
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 53%

Admission

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 125,910 5,799
Admitted 14,677 645
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 11.1%
Enrolled % 45.2% 49.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 30/35 33/35
SAT Range 1310/1530 1450/1560
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
Graduation Rate 90% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $97,800
Making Student Loan Payments 79% -
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $14,967
Median Loan Payment $146 $154

Diversity

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
% Men 14% 0%
% Women 13% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 42%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 14% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

UC Berkeley Claremont McKenna
% In-State 79% 36%
% Out-of-State 10% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (45,699 students vs. 1,384 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Claremont McKenna Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Claremont McKenna?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 439.1% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($63,800.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at Claremont McKenna than University of California Berkeley ($63,800.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Claremont McKenna ($16,997 vs. $29,978)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claremont McKenna College are 15.5% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($19,650 vs. $22,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Claremont McKenna College than University of California Berkeley (53% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 101% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($52,149 vs. $25,951)

UC Berkeley vs. Claremont McKenna Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 11 points higher than at UC Berkeley (1397)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UC Berkeley (3.87)
  • UC Berkeley has a higher acceptance rate (11.7%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)

UC Berkeley vs. Claremont McKenna Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or Claremont McKenna? 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 Claremont McKenna and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of California Berkeley (91% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $23,100 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $74,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $767 lower median federal student loan debt than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($14,200 vs. $14,967)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Claremont McKenna graduates. ($146 vs. $154)

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