“The nation's premier liberal arts college for government, economics, and public affairs — where intellectual rigor meets real-world leadership training.”
Claremont McKenna College, founded in 1946, is one of the most career-focused liberal arts colleges in America. With a 10% acceptance rate and particular strength in government, economics, finance, and public affairs, CMC attracts ambitious students who want a rigorous liberal arts education with direct pathways to leadership in business, policy, and public life. CMC's distinctive PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) major — modeled on Oxford's legendary program — epitomizes the college's interdisciplinary approach. The Robert Day School of Economics is ranked among the top programs at any liberal arts college, and the Kravis Leadership Institute, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, and Financial Economics Institute provide unique research and experiential learning opportunities that few small colleges can match. As a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, CMC students can cross-register at Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer, accessing over 2,700 courses while maintaining a tight-knit campus of 1,390 students. Career outcomes are exceptional — CMC graduates report median starting salaries of $68,541 and mid-career earnings of $108,186, placing them among the highest-earning liberal arts graduates in the country.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Forbes America's Top Colleges
Forbes 2025
Economics (Robert Day School)
Liberal Arts Colleges 2020
Economics
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision I
Binding. Decisions mid-December.
Early Decision II
Binding. Decisions February 15.
Regular Decision
Decisions April 1. Merit scholarship priority deadline Dec 1.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$71,700
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
CMC's flagship division. Economics, government, and international relations are the most popular majors, supported by world-class research institutes.
Strong programs in philosophy, history, and literature complement the social science focus and support the interdisciplinary PPE and PPA majors.
Growing STEM departments with cross-registration access to Harvey Mudd's engineering resources.
4 years
Modeled on Oxford's legendary program, CMC's PPE major integrates philosophical reasoning, political analysis, and economic theory in a tutorial-based format that produces leaders in policy, law, and business.
4 years
CMC's most popular major, housed in the Robert Day School ranked 4th among LACs. Graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of any liberal arts college — median $68,541 one year out.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $67,980
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
