Pomona College
Pomona College is a private liberal-arts college in Claremont, California, and the founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, combining the intimacy of a roughly 1,760-student campus with the academic resources of a much larger university. Admission is among the most selective in the country: Pomona admitted about 6.8% of more than 12,100 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1480–1550 and 33–35 on the ACT. The social sciences are the most-conferred field, and a 7-to-1 student-faculty ratio keeps classes small. Pomona is test-optional and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, with no loans in its aid packages.
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Pomona admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Pomona 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~2.2× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Pomona is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Pomona's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 29% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Pomona does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Pomona 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 Pomona'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 Pomona admissions
Is it hard to get into Pomona College?＋
Yes — Pomona is among the most selective colleges in the country, admitting about 6.8% of applicants in the most recent cycle. That is roughly 819 offers out of more than 12,100 applications, with about 408 students ultimately enrolling. Strong grades and scores are expected but not sufficient; Pomona weighs eight factors — including rigor of course load, GPA, class rank, recommendations, the essay, extracurriculars, talent, and character — as very important.
Does applying Early Decision to Pomona improve your chances?＋
Pomona offers binding Early Decision I and II, and the early round is admitted at a noticeably higher rate than the overall pool. In the most recent cycle, the ED rounds drew 1,691 applications and produced 212 admits — roughly a 12.5% admit rate, compared with about 6.8% overall. ED is binding, so apply early only if Pomona is clearly your first choice.
What GPA and class rank do you need to get into Pomona College?＋
Pomona does not publish an average admitted GPA, but its class sits at the very top of the high school cohort. Among enrolled first-years who reported a class rank, about 85% were in the top tenth of their graduating class and 97% in the top quarter. There is no hard cutoff, but academic GPA, class rank, and the rigor of your course load are all weighed as very important factors.
Is Pomona College test-optional, and what SAT or ACT scores do admitted students have?＋
Yes, Pomona is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1480–1550 on the SAT and 33–35 on the ACT. Test scores are only 'considered' in the review rather than very important, so applying without them does not put you at a disadvantage.
How much does Pomona College cost, and does it offer good financial aid?＋
Tuition and required fees are about $65,420 per year, with the total cost of attendance higher once on-campus housing and food (about $21,394) and books, transportation, and personal expenses are added. Pomona meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and packages aid without loans. About 56% of first-years receive need-based grant or scholarship aid, with an average aid package near $65,261.
What are the most popular majors at Pomona College?＋
The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 25% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the biological sciences (12%) and computer science (9%). Mathematics and statistics (7%) and the physical sciences (7%) round out the most-conferred fields, reflecting Pomona's strength across both the sciences and the social sciences.
How big is Pomona College, and what is the student-faculty ratio?＋
Pomona is intentionally small: about 1,761 undergraduates with a 7-to-1 student-faculty ratio, which keeps classes small and discussion-based. As the founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, it pairs that intimate scale with the course and resource access of a much larger university. All students live on campus, and the first-year retention rate is about 96%, with a 6-year graduation rate near 93%.
Source: Pomona College Common Data Set 2023-2024. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Pomona. Banner photo by Adam Jones, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).