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UCSD Pomona UCI UCSC Cal Poly UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley San Diego State HMC USC| University of California Santa Barbara | Claremont McKenna College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA | Claremont, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 26,068 | 1,384 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #112 | #17 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsb.edu | claremontmckenna.edu | ||
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Costs |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $63,800 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $63,800 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,684 | $19,650 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,283 | $29,978 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,732 | $52,149 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 53% |
Admission |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 110,871 | 5,799 | ||
| Admitted | 30,804 | 645 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 27.8% | 11.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 49.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1460 | 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 |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 91% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,000 | $97,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | - | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,451 | $14,967 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $170 | $154 |
Diversity |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 35% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 7% | ||
| % International | 7% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 6% |
Students |
UCSB | Claremont McKenna | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 36% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UCSB | 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 Santa Barbara is larger than than Claremont McKenna based on total student enrollment (26,068 students vs. 1,384 students)
UCSB vs. Claremont McKenna Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Claremont McKenna?
- Claremont McKenna College is 439.1% more expensive to attend than UCSB 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 Santa Barbara ($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 Santa Barbara than Claremont McKenna ($15,283 vs. $29,978)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 5.2% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($18,684 vs. $19,650)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Claremont McKenna College than University of California Santa Barbara (53% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 140% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($52,149 vs. $21,732)
UCSB vs. Claremont McKenna Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSB or Claremont McKenna? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Claremont McKenna or UCSB .
- The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna College (1408) is 160 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
- Incoming Claremont McKenna students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCSB (29)
- Accepted freshman Claremont McKenna students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UCSB (3.82)
- UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (27.8%) than Claremont McKenna (11.1%)
UCSB vs. Claremont McKenna Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSB 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 UCSB.
- The graduation rate at Claremont McKenna is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (91% vs. 80%)
- Graduates from Claremont McKenna College earn on average $38,800 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($97,800 vs. $59,000)
- Claremont McKenna College students graduate with a $1,484 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSB graduates. ($14,967 vs. $16,451)
- Claremont McKenna graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than UCSB graduates. ($154 vs. $170)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/