Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA 1,388 Undergrads 91.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$86,500

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$28,849

After Aid

Median Earnings

$110,798

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,849

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$110,798

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$104,736

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate91.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.5

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients18.8%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time99.5%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS88.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

9.6%

SAT Avg

1,527

SAT Reading

25th: 72072575th: 770

SAT Math

25th: 75075075th: 790

ACT Composite

25th: 333475th: 35

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$925k

+$458k

+$441k

Median Cost$29k/yr

+$821k

+$354k

+$337k

Full Cost$87k/yr

+$614k

+$147k

+$129k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$29k/yr

325%

Full Cost$87k/yr

42%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return169%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-15%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$146,524

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$606k

Engineering-Related Fields

BachCIP: 1515

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,619

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, Other

BachCIP: 1499

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $93,989

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Biology

BachCIP: 3027

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,732

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

BachCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,069

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$96,520

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

+$228k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,451

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$73,826

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$55k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Policy Analysis

BachCIP: 4405

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,721

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Systems Science and Theory

BachCIP: 3006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $88,036

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Finance and Financial Management Services

MastCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$100,075

Natl Median: $110,694

Lifetime Value Added

+$223k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.