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Pomona College

Private#2 Liberal Arts Colleges

Claremont, CA

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Pomona College was incorporated in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists seeking to build, in the college's own words, "a college of the New England type" on the West Coast; instruction began in a rented house in the city of Pomona before the school relocated to an unfinished hotel in nearby Claremont. Pomona is the founding member of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of institutions in Claremont, California, roughly 35 miles east of Los Angeles.

Admissions

Admit rate7%
SAT range1490–1560
ACT range33–35
Undergrads1,666
Yield (admits who enroll)55%
Next deadlineNov 8, 2026 (ED1)

Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry

  • Early Decision I: Nov 8, 2026
  • Early Decision II: Jan 8, 2027
  • Regular Decision: Jan 8, 2027

Confirm on Pomona College's own admissions site before you apply.

Cost & outcomes

Cost of attendance$85,3002024-25
Tuition & fees$65,4202024-25
4-year grad rate93%
Median earnings, 10yr out$77,779

From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.

Where do you stand against Pomona College's numbers?

Check your chances here

What applicants who posted their results listed

38 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 10 admitted, 28 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.

Median unweighted GPA4.00 vs 3.85
Median SAT (where sent)1550 vs 1540
Listed a national-level award90% vs 71%

Most common activities

AdmittedRejected or waitlisted
Community service
60%
71%
Debate, speech & Model UN
60%
21%
Scouting & civic programs
60%
11%
Arts, theater & writing
50%
29%
Clubs & honor societies
40%
54%
Tutoring & teaching
40%
43%
Paid job
40%
43%
Internship
40%
36%

Most common awards among admits

Competition placement · 60%Named scholarship · 50%Arts & writing award · 40%Service or leadership award · 40%

Who posted

Public high school · 72%Private or boarding school · 24%First-generation · 40%International · 8%

How this compares across selective liberal arts colleges: Liberal Arts College Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →

These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Pomona College's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.

See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Pomona College weighs in your application

Paying it back

Undergrads taking federal loans9%
Loan balance still growing, 3yrs out85%

"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.

Majors & earnings

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science$217,051/yr
Social Sciences
Economics$96,702/yr

Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.

Campus life

On-campus housingYes
Required to live on campusNo
Dormitory capacity1,675
Typical room charge$11,146
Typical board charge$8,212

Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.

What matters in your application

GPAConsidered, not required
Class rankConsidered, not required
RecommendationsRequired

From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pomona College's acceptance rate?

Pomona College in Claremont, CA admits approximately 7% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.

What SAT score do I need for Pomona College?

Admitted students at Pomona College typically score between 1490–1560 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile).

What ACT score do I need for Pomona College?

Admitted students at Pomona College typically score between 33–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile).

How much does Pomona College cost?

Pomona College's total cost of attendance is reported at $85,300 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.

When is the application deadline for Pomona College?

Pomona College's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 8, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 8, 2027; Regular Decision Jan 8, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.

Does Pomona College require students to live on campus?

No -- Pomona College doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.

Comparing Pomona College against another school?

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