Pomona College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Claremont, California. It enrolls 1,666 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Excellent
87/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes97
Value84
Affordability36
Selectivity98
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 7.1%, Pomona College is among the most selective colleges in the country.
Acceptance Rate
7.1%
Highly Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1490 – 1560
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
33 – 35
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Pomona College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
0.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Pomona College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $19,285 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$19,285
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
9%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$65,420
Room & Board (on-campus)
$21,394
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,229
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$85,300
Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$4,841
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,026
$48,001 – $75,000
$17,054
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,719
Over $110,000
$37,842
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,63610%percentile
$5,55425%percentile
$11,782Medianpercentile
$19,50075%percentile
$25,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,294
↓ $4,488
No Pell $12,000
↑ $218
Female students $10,500
↓ $1,282
Male students $9,000
↓ $2,782
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,374, less than completers ($11,782), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
92% of full-time students who enrolled at Pomona College graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
92%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
97%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Pomona College earn a median of $77,779 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$77,779
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$59,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$91,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $32,000, about 35% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$4.0 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Pomona College is home to 1,666 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,666
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
30%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 28.3%471
Asian 18.7%311
Hispanic 17.2%287
International 13.7%228
Other 9.6%160
Black 9.2%153
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Pomona College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbClaremont, California
Housing
Strongly residential1,609 beds for 1,666 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Pomona College offers
a varied set of programs:
34 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pomona College is 7:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$3.3B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$129,465
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
173 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
90
52%
$173,948
Associate Professors
51
29%
$133,943
Assistant Professors
32
18%
$106,697
Pros & Cons of Pomona College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Pomona College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Highly selective, strong peer cohort
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Strong six-year graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
Highly competitive admissions, many strong applicants are rejected
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Pomona College is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pomona College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Pomona College.
Is Pomona College hard to get into?
Yes. Pomona College is among the most selective colleges in the United States, with an acceptance rate of 7.1%. Successful applicants typically have top-decile test scores and strong academic, extracurricular, and recommendation profiles.
What is the acceptance rate at Pomona College?
Pomona College has an acceptance rate of 7.1%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Pomona College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Pomona College scored between 1490 and 1560 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Pomona College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Pomona College scored between 33 and 35 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Pomona College cost?
The average net price after aid at Pomona College is $19,285 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Pomona College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $77,779 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $19,285 per year. That's roughly 4.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pomona College known for?
Pomona College is best known for its programs in Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Pomona College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Pomona College are $77,779, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Pomona College accredited?
Yes. Pomona College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Pomona College?
Pomona College enrolls 1,666 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Pomona College?
Pomona College graduates 92% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Pomona College a public or private college?
Pomona College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Pomona College located?
Pomona College is located in Claremont, California.
What programs does Pomona College offer?
Pomona College offers 34 distinct programs. The most popular include Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Pomona College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pomona College is 7:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in California
Other colleges in California share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
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Completion
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Rankings That Feature Pomona College
Pomona College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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93 UCD Score
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$128,566 Top Earn
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93 UCD Score
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$138,687 Top Earn
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