Claremont McKenna College: An Overview
Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a highly-regarded private liberal arts college situated in Claremont, California, approximately 30 miles east of Los Angeles. As a member of the prestigious Claremont Colleges consortium, CMC offers students a unique blend of a small, intimate college environment with access to the vast resources of a larger university.
History and Founding
Established in 1946 as Claremont Men's College, the institution was officially incorporated in 1947. Initially founded as a men's college with seven faculty members and 86 students, many of whom were World War II veterans attending college on the G.I. Bill, CMC has evolved significantly over the decades. Claremont Men's College was the third Claremont College, following Pomona College and Scripps College. In 1975, the trustees voted to admit women, a decision supported by a two-thirds vote from students representing the Associated Students of Claremont Men’s College. The first women were admitted to CMC in 1976, aligning with a national trend toward coeducation among peer institutions.
Academic Focus and Curriculum
Claremont McKenna College distinguishes itself through its curricular emphasis on the social sciences, particularly government, economics, public affairs, finance, and international relations. The college operates on a semester system and offers 33 on-campus majors across 12 academic departments and 11 research institutes. Popular majors include economics, government, psychology, economics-accounting, and international relations. However, students are not limited to these options; as a member of the Claremont Colleges, they can pursue any major offered at the other colleges, such as computer science at Harvey Mudd College or Pomona College.
The college provides a "very challenging but rewarding" liberal arts education to its focused group of around 1,400 students. Experiential learning is a keystone of the curriculum. A popular example is computer science, which is offered by both Harvey Mudd College and Pomona College. The student to faculty ratio is 8:1 with an average class size of 18. 85% of the classes have fewer than 19 students. About one third of the classes students complete are general education requirements. These include a humanities seminar and a writing seminar their first year, three semesters of a foreign language or demonstrated proficiency, a mathematics or computer science course, one laboratory science course and three semesters of a P.E. course or two seasons on a sports team. In addition, students must complete at least two humanities courses and three social science courses, all in areas outside the student's major. All students must complete a senior thesis, which can be either one-semester in length or, to receive departmental honors, two semesters. Claremont McKenna's curricular emphasis is on its social sciences, particularly economics, government, international relations, and psychology. CMC also offers an Oxford-style tutorial Philosophy, Politics, and Economics major with two separate tracks of 14 students each. Other multi-disciplinary majors include management engineering, philosophy and public affairs, science and management, econ-accounting, biology-chemistry, and environment, economics, and politics (EEP). CMC also offers the Robert A.
The Robert Day School of Economics and Finance
In 2007, CMC established the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance, further solidifying its commitment to these fields. The school offers a master's program in finance, catering to students seeking advanced knowledge and skills in this area.
Read also: Exploring Claremont McKenna
Science Program
CMC's science program is offered through the Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer and Scripps Colleges. The Keck Science Department offers a double year-long introductory science class to allow more flexibility than the former 3 year-long introductory biology, chemistry and physics courses that most science majors must complete.
Study Abroad and Domestic Programs
Many CMC students take advantage of study abroad opportunities or participate in domestic programs in Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley, gaining valuable experience and broadening their perspectives. About 40% of CMC students study abroad, with over 115 programs in 40 countries. The off-campus study programs in Washington D.C. and Silicon Valley allow students to complete a full-semester internship.
Campus Life and Student Activities
As a residential community, student life is centered on campus, with 96% of students living on campus and four years of housing guaranteed. Claremont's dorms are divided into three regions: North Quad, Mid Quad, and South Quad. In addition, the student apartments sit on the East edge of campus, and are occupied primarily by seniors. All dorm rooms are attended to by housekeeping staff every week. North Quad is made up of Appleby, Boswell, Green and Wohlford Halls, which were the campus's first dorms. In north quad, every room opens to the outdoors instead of opening to an interior hallway. CMC's Mid Quad is home to Beckett, Berger, Benson, Phillips, Crown, Marks and Claremont Halls, which feature long interior corridors, double and single rooms, large shared-bathroom facilities and all-dorm lounge areas. Berger, Claremont and Benson Halls are connected, and make up a larger building known on campus as BCB. The tallest buildings in Claremont are "The Towers", Auen, Fawcett, and Stark Halls, which make up South Quad. Each tower has seven floors with approximately twelve students per floor. Each floor has a common area and a large shared bathroom, while there is also an all-dorm lounge area on the ground floor. Stark Hall, the newest of the South Quad dorms, is substance-free. The Student Apartments lie to the east of the college's athletic facilities and to the west of Claremont Boulevard. Each apartment is divided into four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The Claremont Colleges Consortium
Claremont McKenna College is a member of the Claremont Colleges Consortium, and most social activities revolve around the five colleges. Claremont McKenna College, Pomona College, Scripps College, Pitzer College, and Harvey Mudd College share dining halls, libraries, and other facilities throughout the contiguous campuses. All five colleges, along with Claremont Graduate University and the Keck Graduate Institute, are part of the Claremont University Consortium. Students attending Claremont McKenna can enroll in up to 2/3 of their classes at the other undergraduate colleges and can also major at any other college if the major is not offered at CMC. Together the campuses cover over 300 acres (120 ha) and enroll over 6,000 students. In addition there are over 3,500 faculty and staff and more than 2,500 courses available. Student life revolves around the colleges as they interact socially and also share seven dining halls, four main libraries and other facilities spread throughout the campuses.
The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum
The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum serves as the college's central intellectual and social hub. It hosts more than one hundred dinner and lecture events each year, featuring speakers from diverse disciplines and ideological perspectives. The Athenaeum hosts speakers four nights a week and offers daily afternoon tea in its library, complete with chocolate-covered strawberries and pastries. Afternoon tea is free to students, faculty, and staff.
Read also: Navigating Student Health
Student Government and Organizations
The Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College (ASCMC) is the official student government, comprising an executive board and a student senate. ASCMC passes resolutions to influence institutional policy, funds student-led initiatives, and brings in administrators for town hall discussions. CMC also has numerous identity-based clubs and organizations, including 1 Gen (for first-generation college students), Asian Pacific American Mentors, Black Student Associations, and ¡Mi Gente!
Traditions
All incoming freshmen participate in W.O.A!, or "Welcome Orientation Adventure", a student-run pre-orientation program with options such as backpacking, camping, and community service. The "Madrigal Feast" was an annual medieval-themed dinner held in the Athenaeum. The Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College host a "Monte Carlo" night which doubles as the school's homecoming dance. At noon on the due dates of senior theses, the students turn in their theses to the registrar, after which they are given a bottle of champagne by the registrar.
Student Publications
CMC attracts many students with an interest in journalism. Student publications include:
- The Student Life (TSL): The oldest college paper in Southern California and the largest media organization at the Claremont Colleges.
- The Golden Antlers: A satirical and humorous campus publication founded in 2012.
- The CMC Forum: The oldest CMC-specific publication on campus, featuring campus news, opinions, and lifestyle articles.
- The Claremont Radius: An online publication that aims to spark political discourse across campus.
Athletics
CMC competes in the NCAA Division III's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in a joint athletic program with Harvey Mudd College and Scripps College. The mascot for the men's teams is Stanley the Stag, and the women's teams are the Athenas. Their colors are cardinal and gold. The teams joined the NCAA Division III in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in 1958.
Admission and Financial Aid
Claremont McKenna College is a highly selective institution. The college accepts the Common Application and has a test-optional admissions policy. CMC admits students on a need-blind basis and guarantees to meet the financial need of all its students as determined by the FAFSA and the College Board's CSS Profile.
Read also: Higher Education in Claremont
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for the 2018-2019 school year is $54,160 ($27,080 per semester) for a full-time student, and room and board is on average $15,930 ($7,965 per semester for double room and 12 meals per week), for a total annual cost of attendance of $70,212.50 with other expected costs included. For the 2016-2017 year, CMC awarded a total of $27,021,024 in financial aid.
The Soll Center for Student Opportunity
Undergrads at Claremont McKenna love to shower the “AMAZING career services center” with praise, and it’s no secret why: the Soll Center for Student Opportunity is with students every step of the way, from initial career exploration to landing that first job offer. The Center organizes its planning around interest clusters rather than majors, so students have the opportunity to explore resources that are adjacent to their focus and receive guidance from an expert career coach familiar with the cluster. Through their alumni career contacts database, the office also makes it simple for current students to connect with alums working in industries of interest. Beyond great support, CMC students benefit from many handsome opportunities: the Sponsored Internships & Experiences program provides funding for both domestic and international experiences, including summer research and writing fellowships. And funding is also available to help subsidize career development opportunities (such as conferences or fieldwork) throughout the academic year.
Rankings and Reputation
In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Claremont McKenna College is ranked No. #7 in National Liberal Arts Colleges. Claremont McKenna College offers a "very challenging but rewarding" liberal arts education to a focused group of about 1,400 students. Its proximity to Los Angeles-just 30 miles away-and joint curriculars with the other six member schools of The Claremont Colleges allows students to tailor their education and access the resources of a large university-over 2,200 classes and activities to choose from-while still building close relationships with faculty.
Notable People
Claremont McKenna College has produced numerous accomplished alumni in various fields, including:
- Political consultant Thomas B.
- Founding partner of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
- Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Michael S.
- Founding partner of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
- 60th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, Patrick J.
- Co-Director of the Center on Work, Technology, and Organization at Stanford University, Pamela J.
- New York Times White House correspondent Michael D.
- Dean of University of Iowa College of Engineering Harriet B.
- Historian and Fulbright Scholar Albert L.
- Political scientist John J. Pitney, Roy P.
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