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Pomona College is a private liberal arts college located in Claremont, California. Pomona College is extremely selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Pomona College is in the top 10% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $69,149 10 years after enrolling, 23rd in California, and in the top 10% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Pomona College bachelor students earn 19% more than the national average. Pomona College is ranked 16th in California.
Pomona College’s median net annual cost of $17,949 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 3 programs at Pomona College sorted by number of graduates - Economics, Computer Science, Public Policy Analysis - are shown below.
Annual net cost
$17,949
Average years to graduate
4.2
The average student at Pomona College takes 4.2 years to graduate, with 95% graduating within 8 years. The graduation rate at Pomona College is 27% more than the state average and 26% more than the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Pomona College, Pell Grant recipients represent 21% of the measured graduating class, 14% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Pomona College graduates within 4.1 years.
Pomona College is in the top 50% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Pomona College’s economic mobility score of 19.96 is calculated by adjusting the 0.65 economic score of lower-income students by the 21% pell grant recipients within the student body. Pomona College’s EMS of 19.96 ranks in the top 50% nationally.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 50%
The average Title IV recipient at Pomona College pays $17,949 a year, $57,145 less than the $75,094 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $17,949
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Pomona College, 57% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $17,949 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 7% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $12,200. This is 47% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$4,273
Pell grants
$4,943
State grants
$9,084
Institutional grants
$49,761
Pomona College's extremely selective admissions are indicated by their 7% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 11,620 applicants, of which 771 were admitted and 451 enrolled. Pomona College doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
100%
83%
Female
50%
59%
First time
97%
59%
In-state
28%
68%
1st generation
30%
35%
White
30%
52%
Black
11%
14%
Hispanic
19%
15%
Asian
18%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
22%
12%