UCSB vs. Claremont McKenna

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

UCSB Claremont McKenna
Location Santa Barbara, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 26,420 1,389
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #18
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu claremontmckenna.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB Claremont McKenna
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $60,480
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $60,480
Room & Board $16,883 $18,712
Avg Net Price $16,874 $28,701
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $50,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 49%

Admission

UCSB Claremont McKenna
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 5,709
Admitted 28,688 591
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 10.4%
Enrolled % 17.3% 54.5%
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 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

UCSB Claremont McKenna
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (44%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (7%)
  • General Studies (7%)

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 45% 49%
% Women 55% 51%
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 78% 42%
% Out-of-State 10% 41%

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 (26,420 students vs. 1,389 students)

UCSB vs. Claremont McKenna Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Claremont McKenna?

  • Claremont McKenna College is 423% more expensive to attend than UCSB 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 Santa Barbara ($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 Santa Barbara than Claremont McKenna ($16,874 vs. $28,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 10.8% lower than costs at Claremont McKenna College ($16,883 vs. $18,712)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Barbara than Claremont McKenna College (53% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claremont McKenna College students is 145.3% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($50,020 vs. $20,389)

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 (25.8%) than Claremont McKenna (10.4%)

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/