Claremont McKenna Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Claremont McKenna College received 6,939 applications for its Class of 2029 and admitted 655 students, resulting in a 9.44% acceptance rate, the most competitive admissions cycle in the college’s history.

For the Class of 2030, Early Decision (ED) I results were released in December 2025, followed by Early Decision II in February 2026, with Regular Decision (RD) notifications expected by April 2026. However, the college has not yet released the full set of admissions data for this class.

Below, we break down Claremont McKenna’s acceptance rates across each admissions pathway, including overall, ED, RD, waitlist, and transfer, and show how they have changed over time.

• Claremont McKenna Acceptance Rates
• Claremont McKenna Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Claremont McKenna Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Claremont McKenna Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Claremont McKenna Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Claremont McKenna Acceptance Rates

Claremont McKenna’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 came in at 9.44%, a slight decrease from the 9.59% recorded for the Class of 2028. This modest tightening reflects a rise in applications, up from 6,529 to 6,939, while the number of admitted students held relatively steady at around 625–655.

Over the past decade, Claremont McKenna’s acceptance rate has trended downward overall, falling from above 10% to the high single digits in recent years. Here’s the complete picture:

Note: All data has been compiled from Claremont McKenna’s Common Data Set.

Applications declined from 6,349 for the Class of 2021 to a low of 5,306 for the Class of 2024, a drop of roughly 16%, as pandemic-era disruption broadly suppressed application activity. Volume rebounded sharply to 6,939 for the Class of 2029, a 31% swing driven in part by the same pandemic’s legacy: test-optional policies lowered the barrier to applying, drawing in students who might otherwise have self-selected out.

The Class of 2024 stands out as the most accessible in this period, with an acceptance rate of 13.34%. But with admitted students holding relatively steady between 584 and 708, rising applications have steadily compressed the acceptance rate into the high single digits.

The Class of 2029’s 9.44% continues a stretch of sub-10% rates that began with the Class of 2028.

Claremont McKenna Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent ED figures (combined ED I and ED II) we have are from the Class of 2028, when Claremont McKenna received 967 ED applications and admitted 226 students for an acceptance rate of 23.37%, down from 24.75% for the Class of 2027.

Data for the Class of 2029 and Class of 2030 is not yet available.

Claremont McKenna Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Claremont McKenna’s ED acceptance rates have declined notably over the past decade, falling from above 30% to the low-to-mid 20s in recent cycles. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: All data has been compiled from Claremont McKenna’s Common Data Set.

ED applications grew from 627 for the Class of 2024 to 967 for the Class of 2028, a rise of roughly 54%, reflecting growing interest in binding early programs across selective colleges. The Class of 2024 stands out with the highest ED acceptance rate at 35.09%, despite having the smallest ED applicant pool. Since then, rising application volume has fallen to 23.37% for the Class of 2028, the lowest on record.

The number of admitted ED students ranges from 193 to 226 across all years, suggesting Claremont McKenna fills a consistent portion of its class through the ED round. That fixed admit number is the primary driver of the declining acceptance rate.

Still, ED applicants continue to fare meaningfully better than their RD counterparts.

Claremont McKenna Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2028, Claremont McKenna received 5,562 RD applications and admitted 400 students, yielding a 7.19% acceptance rate. That marks a tightening from the 8.89% posted for the Class of 2027, continuing a pattern of variability that has defined Claremont McKenna’s RD round over the past several years.

RD data for the Class of 2029 and Class of 2030 is not yet available.

Claremont McKenna Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Claremont McKenna’s RD acceptance rates have fluctuated, moving between a high of 10.43% and a low of 7.11%, as admit numbers shifted against a largely stable applicant pool. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Claremont McKenna’s Common Data Set.

Unlike larger research universities where application volumes swing wildly year to year, Claremont McKenna’s RD pool has been remarkably consistent, staying within a band of roughly 4,679 to 5,682 applications from the Class of 2021 through the Class of 2028.

What has shifted, however, is the admit count, dropping from a high of 488 for the Class of 2024 to just 372 for the Class of 2026, and that fluctuation is what drives most of the movement in Claremont McKenna’s RD rate.

The spread between the most and least selective RD years is notable: 10.43% for the Class of 2024 versus 7.11% for the Class of 2022, a gap of more than three percentage points within a relatively stable applicant pool.

For prospective students, the more actionable figure may be the ED-to-RD gap. For the Class of 2028, ED applicants were admitted at 23.37% compared to just 7.19% in the regular round. RD applicants continue to face longer odds than those who apply ED, and this historical gap between RD and ED acceptance rates will likely persist.

Claremont McKenna Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Claremont McKenna transfer data comes from Fall 2024, with an acceptance rate of 5.67%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Claremont McKenna’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Claremont McKenna’s transfer process is highly selective. The 5.67% transfer acceptance rate is actually lower than the 9.59% overall first-year rate for the Class of 2028. With only 24 students admitted from a pool of 423 applicants, transfer spots at Claremont McKenna are limited and competition is stiff.

Claremont McKenna Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Claremont McKenna waitlist data comes from the Class of 2028, with an acceptance rate of 5.31%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data is from Claremont McKenna’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025.

Of the 997 students offered a waitlist spot, 621 chose to confirm their interest, and Claremont McKenna ultimately admitted 33 of them, a 5.31% rate among confirmed candidates. That is a narrow margin, and a useful reality check for applicants inclined to lean on the waitlist as a fallback.

Waitlist outcomes are entirely dependent on how many admitted students enroll, and that number shifts every year. A strong yield could mean zero waitlist offers; a weaker one could open the door for more.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Claremont McKenna’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate is 9.44% for the Class of 2029. Claremont McKenna received 6,939 applications and admitted 655 students.

2. Is it easier to get into Claremont McKenna through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Early Decision, significantly. For the Class of 2028, the ED rate was 23.37% compared to 7.19% for RD, more than three times higher. That said, ED applicants tend to be among the most committed and competitive in the pool.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Claremont McKenna?

Very hard. For Fall 2024, only 24 out of 423 applicants were admitted, a 5.67% transfer rate, lower than the 9.59% first-year rate for the Class of 2028.

4. What are my chances of getting off Claremont McKenna’s waitlist?

It varies by year. For the Class of 2028, 33 students were admitted from 621 who confirmed waitlist interest, a rate of 5.31%.

5. Why has Claremont McKenna’s acceptance rate been declining?

Applications have grown from 5,000 to nearly 7,000 in recent cycles, while the admitted class size has stayed largely stable at around 600, which has lowered the acceptance rate.

Takeaways

• Claremont McKenna has grown noticeably more selective. The acceptance rate has fallen from 13.34% for the Class of 2024 to 9.44% for the Class of 2029 as the college’s national profile continues to rise.
• The gap between ED and RD odds at Claremont McKenna is among the most pronounced of any liberal arts college. At 23.37% versus 7.19% for the Class of 2028, applying ED is one of the highest-leverage moves an applicant can make.
• Transfer admission is one of the most competitive pathways into Claremont McKenna, with a 5.67% acceptance rate in Fall 2024 that actually trails the first-year rate.
• Claremont McKenna’s waitlist can be unpredictable due to yield swings. For the Class of 2028, it had a mere 5.31% waitlist acceptance rate.
• With selectivity rising and each applicant pool growing stronger, working with a college admissions expert can give you a meaningful edge, helping you sharpen your story, position your application strategically, and put your best foot forward.