Claremont McKenna College
Overview
Claremont McKenna College is a private institution that was founded in 1946. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,328, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 69 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Claremont McKenna College's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 9. Its tuition and fees are $50,945 (2016-17).
Claremont McKenna College is located in Claremont, California, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The school is part of the seven-college consortium known as The Claremont Colleges, which includes Scripps College, Pomona, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences. Students can take classes at any of the member institutions as well as enjoy the social activities, athletics and dining services at the five undergraduate and two graduate colleges. The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athletics program combines student-athletes from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps to compete in the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Students can find clubs that fit a wide variety of interests, from Without the Box improv group to Shades a cappella group, among many others. All freshmen are required to live on campus, and about 97 percent of students remain in college housing for four years.
Although it is primarily an undergraduate college, Claremont McKenna offers a graduate master’s program in finance through the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance. Claremont McKenna was originally founded as Claremont Men’s College but became coeducational in 1976. While at Claremont McKenna, slightly over half of all students study abroad in locations all over the world. The school is home to 10 distinguished research institutes offering students the ability to conduct graduate-level research with faculty. Notable alumni include actor and comedian Robin Williams and Paul Brickman, who wrote and directed the 1983 film "Risky Business."
General Information
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Private, Coed school type
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1946 year founded
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N/A religious affiliation
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Semester academic calendar
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Suburban setting
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$733,871,000 2015 endowment
School Mission and Unique Qualities
Content is provided by the school.
Claremont McKenna College, a member of the Claremont Colleges, is a highly selective, independent liberal arts college committed to its strong, real world, leadership mission. Located on a residential campus at the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains east of Los Angeles, the College offers rigorous academic training and a rich interdisciplinary intellectual experience growing out the close working relationship between students and a faculty of eminent teacher-scholars. Traditionally known for its widely acknowledged expertise in economics and government, Claremont McKenna features leading departments in the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, supported by eleven world-class research institutes. Students reinforce their intellectual and social growth through nationally and globally recognized co-curricular and extracurricular programs in leadership and innovation, athletics, intellectual life and the arts, and global engagement. The College supports its students with generous scholarships and financial aid. Its close-knit community, dedication to the free exchange of ideas, and abundant opportunities to gain invaluable practical experience help students develop into thoughtful and responsible leaders in the private, public, and social sectors.
Claremont McKenna College is ranked #9 in National Liberal Arts Colleges. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
#9
(tie) in National Liberal Arts Colleges
#32
in Best Value Schools
#10
(tie) in High School Counselor Rankings
#10
(tie) in Most Innovative Schools
See all scores and key indicators.
Read more about how we rank schools.
Undergraduate Information
When applying to Claremont McKenna College, it's important to note the application deadline is Jan. 1, and the early decision deadline is Nov. 1. The application fee at Claremont McKenna College is $70. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due Jan. 15. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 11 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
Selectivity Most selective
Fall 2015 acceptance rate 11%
Application deadline Jan. 1
SAT/ACT scores must be received by Jan. 15
Students Also Applied to
The student-faculty ratio at Claremont McKenna College is 8:1, and the school has 83.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Claremont McKenna College include: Economics, General, Political Science and Government, General, Psychology, General, Accounting and International Relations and Affairs. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 96 percent.
Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students
83.5%
20-49
15.5%
50 or more
1.1%
Student-faculty ratio 8:1
4-year graduation rate 77%
Claremont McKenna College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,328, with a gender distribution of 51 percent male students and 49 percent female students. At this school, 97 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated or -affiliated housing and 3 percent of students live off campus. Claremont McKenna College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
Student gender distribution
Male
51%
Female
49%
Total enrollment 1,349
Collegiate athletic association NCAA III
At Claremont McKenna College, 40% percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $40,781.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.
| Applied for need-based aid |
52.8%
|
| Need was fully met |
92%
|
| Received need-based financial aid |
40%
|
| Received need-based self-help aid |
36.4%
|
| Average percent of need met |
100%
|
Tuition and fees $50,945 (2016-17)
Room and board $15,740 (2016-17)
Campus safety data were reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education and have not been independently verified. The numbers for criminal offenses reflect reports of alleged offenses to campus security and/or law enforcement authorities, not necessarily prosecutions or convictions. Experts advise prospective students and their families to do their own research to evaluate the safety of a campus as well as the surrounding area.
Claremont McKenna College offers a number of student services, including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, health service, health insurance. Claremont McKenna College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Claremont McKenna College.
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Undergraduate data are based on the 2015 school year.
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