Pitzer College
Pitzer College is a private liberal-arts college in Claremont, California, and a member of the five-college Claremont Colleges consortium, known for its emphasis on social justice, intercultural understanding, and environmental sustainability. With about 1,193 undergraduates and a 9-to-1 student-faculty ratio, it pairs an intimate campus with cross-registration across the consortium. Pitzer admitted roughly 27% of applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years who reported a GPA averaged about 3.95. Pitzer is notably test-free — it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission — and meets essentially 100% of demonstrated financial need, with the social sciences, interdisciplinary studies, and environmental analysis among its most-conferred fields.
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Pitzer admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Pitzer offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~1.7× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Pitzer is test-free — SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admissions.
SAT / ACT scores are not used
Pitzer does not review SAT or ACT scores for admission, even if you submit them. Applicants are evaluated on GPA, coursework, essays, and activities instead.
Admissions Factors
How Pitzer weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Pitzer's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Pitzer admissions
Is it hard to get into Pitzer College?＋
Pitzer is selective: it admitted about 26.9% of applicants in the most recent cycle, offering admission to roughly 989 of 3,683 first-year applicants and enrolling about 273. Admission is holistic, with the rigor of your high school record, academic GPA, application essay, character, and even your demonstrated level of interest all weighed as very important factors.
What is Pitzer College's acceptance rate?＋
Pitzer admitted about 26.9% of first-year applicants in the most recent cycle, roughly 989 of 3,683. Applying through binding Early Decision improves your odds: Pitzer's ED I and II rounds together received 385 applications and admitted 167, an early-round admit rate of about 43% versus the 26.9% overall.
What GPA do you need to get into Pitzer College?＋
Enrolled first-year students at Pitzer who reported a high school GPA averaged about 3.95 on a 4.0 scale. There is no hard cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are both weighed as very important factors, so strong grades in a challenging schedule matter most.
Does Pitzer College require the SAT or ACT?＋
No. Pitzer is test-free (test-blind): under a policy adopted in 2021, it does not use SAT or ACT scores in admission at all for applicants from Fall 2022 through Fall 2027, even if you submit them. Standardized test scores are listed as not considered, so admission rests on your transcript, essays, and personal qualities instead.
Does the application essay matter at Pitzer College?＋
Yes, a lot. Because Pitzer does not consider test scores at all, it rates the application essay as a very important factor, on par with your GPA, course rigor, and personal qualities. With holistic review like this, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the strongest ways to stand out.
How much does Pitzer College cost, and is financial aid available?＋
Tuition and required fees run about $67,792 per year, with on-campus food and housing adding roughly $22,926 before books and personal expenses. Pitzer meets essentially 100% of demonstrated financial need; about 35% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, and the average need-based package is near $59,666.
What is Pitzer College known for, and what are its most popular majors?＋
Pitzer is a small liberal-arts college of about 1,193 students in Claremont, California, and a member of the five-college Claremont Colleges consortium, with a 9-to-1 student-faculty ratio and all students living on campus. The social sciences are the most popular field at about 15% of degrees, closely followed by interdisciplinary studies (15%) and environmental studies (12%).
Should I apply Early Decision to Pitzer College?＋
Early Decision can help if Pitzer is your clear first choice, since it is binding. Pitzer offers ED I and ED II, and the two early rounds together admitted 167 of 385 applicants, an early-round admit rate near 43% compared with the 26.9% overall rate. Pitzer also treats demonstrated level of interest as a very important factor, which an early, committed application signals.
Source: Pitzer College Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Pitzer. Banner photo by Costea Photography, Inc., via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).