Claremont McKenna College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Claremont McKenna College charges a net price of $28,849/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $115,396. Graduates earn a median $104,736 ten years after entry, $56,376/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 2 years — a 20-year net return of $1,012,124, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Claremont McKenna College's 2-year payback ranks #75 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 94% of them, and #24 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $28,849/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $115,396 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $104,736 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $56,376/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 2 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $1,012,124 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Claremont McKenna College's own numbers. Net price $28,849 × 4 years = $115,396 total. Median earnings $104,736 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $56,376 a year of premium. $115,396 ÷ $56,376 = 2 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $1,012,124. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Claremont McKenna College students graduate with?
A median $13,500 in federal loans among completers, or 13% of the $104,736 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Claremont McKenna College students graduate?
91% finish their degree. Spread the $115,396 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $126,809 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Claremont McKenna College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $28,849 net price runs $8,944 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $35,776 more across the full degree.