Carleton College vs Claremont McKenna College

Carleton College and Claremont McKenna College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Carleton, nestled in Northfield, Minnesota, boasts a tight-knit community with a strong focus on undergraduate research and a rigorous academic curriculum. Claremont McKenna, located in Claremont, California, emphasizes economics and public affairs, preparing students for careers in business, government, and law. While Carleton's acceptance rate is slightly higher, Claremont McKenna's student body is more diverse. Both colleges offer a wide range of majors, with Carleton excelling in the natural sciences and Claremont McKenna in the social sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these exceptional institutions and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Carleton College logo

Carleton College

Claremont McKenna College logo

Claremont McKenna College

Overview

Location Northfield, Minnesota Claremont, California
Campus setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Trimester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 98.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 17.5% 11.2%
Application fees $70
SAT range 1408 - 1550 1420 - 1530
ACT range 31 - 35 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 35.0% 28.0%
Students submitting ACT score 34.0% 25.0%
Total number of applicants 7,915 5,632
Total number of admissions given out 1,389 633
Admitted students who chose to enroll 555 358
Yield rate 40.0% 56.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,315 $79,347
Average net price $31,718 $21,663
Tuition $59,850 $57,876
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,115

Meal plan: $7,260
Room/dormitory: $9,626

Meal plan: $8,280
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

65.0%
Average amount $45,715
65.0%
Average amount $33,141
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $3,914
17.0%
Average amount $3,535
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $14,334
22.0%
Average amount $7,870

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,044
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
1,416
Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
Graduate students N/A 6
Men 66.7% Women 33.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 81.5% 52.1%
International students 10.2% 15.5%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,854 1,354
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Minnesota California Illinois New York Texas California New York Washington Texas Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Physical Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 91.4% 92.7%
Dropout rate 8.3% 7.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,876
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $101,936
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,032
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $66,207
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,526
  • Year 2: $23,034
  • Year 3: $30,071
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,669
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,425
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: N/A
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,952
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,227
  • Year 2: $36,141
  • Year 3: N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,625
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Physics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,774
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,301
  • Year 2: $33,719
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,566
  • Year 2: $87,754
  • Year 3: $91,488
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,025
  • Year 3: N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $100,075
  • Year 3: N/A

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