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Is Claremont McKenna College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Claremont McKenna, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
Claremont McKenna lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $104,736 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $13,500 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, Claremont McKenna's net price runs about 31% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$29,978
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $7,141 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $29,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
Graduation and earnings data create a stronger long-run payoff picture.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$28,849
Median earnings 10 years out
$104,736
Median debt at graduation
$13,500
Graduation rate
93%
At Claremont McKenna, a typical graduate carries about $13,500 in student debt and earns roughly $104,736 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $153 per month, or 2% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $62,936 more than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
90% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Claremont McKenna is a private nonprofit four year school in Claremont, CA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Westmont
Santa Barbara, CA
Worth-It Score: 61/100
Median net price: $29,053
Private nonprofit 4-year
Hope International
Fullerton, CA
Worth-It Score: 36/100
Median net price: $29,310
Private nonprofit 4-year
Concordia University-Irvine
Irvine, CA
Worth-It Score: 58/100
Median net price: $28,115
Private nonprofit 4-year
William Jessup
Rocklin, CA
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $28,062
Private nonprofit 4-year
Simpson
Redding, CA
Worth-It Score: 42/100
Median net price: $27,817
Common questions about Claremont McKenna
The median net price at Claremont McKenna is $28,849 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in California? See the most affordable private colleges in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →