UCSD vs. Claremont McKenna

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

UCSD Claremont McKenna
Location La Jolla, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 42,006 1,389
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #18
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu claremontmckenna.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Claremont McKenna
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $60,480
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $60,480
Room & Board $16,710 $18,712
Avg Net Price $16,111 $28,701
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $50,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 49%

Admission

UCSD Claremont McKenna
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 5,709
Admitted 31,103 591
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 10.4%
Enrolled % 21% 54.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 28/34 33/35
SAT Range 1270/1480 1440/1550
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, 2024 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

UCSD Claremont McKenna
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UCSD Claremont McKenna
Graduation Rate 85% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $97,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $14,967
Median Loan Payment $191 $154

Diversity

UCSD Claremont McKenna
% Men 50% 49%
% Women 50% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 42%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 17% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

UCSD Claremont McKenna
% In-State 81% 42%
% Out-of-State 8% 41%

Campus

UCSD 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 San Diego is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 1,389 students)

UCSD vs. Claremont McKenna Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Claremont McKenna?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 423% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($60,480.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.3% higher at Claremont McKenna than University of California San Diego ($60,480.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Claremont McKenna ($16,111 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 12% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($16,710 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than Claremont McKenna College (55% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 140.7% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($50,020 vs. $20,782)

UCSD vs. Claremont McKenna Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 64 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
  • Incoming UCSD students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Claremont McKenna (31)
  • Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (23.7%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

UCSD vs. Claremont McKenna Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD 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 UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of California San Diego (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $29,900 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $67,900)
  • Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $3,533 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($14,967 vs. $18,500)
  • Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($154 vs. $191)

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