Pomona College
About
Pomona College is a private college in Claremont, California, United States. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became the founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium of adjacent, affiliated institutions.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 36 Title IV programs, 2 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 34 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing2 · 5.6%
- No Data34 · 94.4%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Action history · 1
- Jun 2021Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 395 students received $2.5M in Pell grants, alongside $3.1M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 100 borrowers who entered repayment, 0 (0.0%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Pomona College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 13
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus52
Includes 3 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Sexual orientation2
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Pomona College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Pomona College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectPomona College | 93% | 7.1% | 1,700 | $19,285 | Baccalaureate |
| 94% | 9.0% | 1,914 | $23,367 | Baccalaureate | |
| 90% | 20.4% | 2,128 | $25,407 | Baccalaureate | |
| 81% | 34.2% | 2,909 | $38,645 | Baccalaureate | |
| 92% | 7.5% | 1,623 | $23,149 | Baccalaureate | |
| 84% | 29.2% | 2,238 | $34,832 | Baccalaureate | |
| 93% | 16.5% | 4,011 | $30,177 | Baccalaureate | |
| 94% | 8.3% | 2,164 | $17,716 | Baccalaureate | |
| Peer group median | 93% | 12.7% | 2,146 | $24,387 |
Institutions like Pomona College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Pomona College's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateMassachusetts
Amherst College
Grad rate94%Admit rate9.0%Enrollment1,914Net price$23,367View data - BaccalaureateMinnesota
Carleton College
Grad rate90%Admit rate20.4%Enrollment2,128Net price$25,407View data - BaccalaureateOhio
Oberlin College
Grad rate81%Admit rate34.2%Enrollment2,909Net price$38,645View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
Swarthmore College
Grad rate92%Admit rate7.5%Enrollment1,623Net price$23,149View data - BaccalaureateConnecticut
Trinity College
Grad rate84%Admit rate29.2%Enrollment2,238Net price$34,832View data - BaccalaureateConnecticut
Wesleyan University
Grad rate93%Admit rate16.5%Enrollment4,011Net price$30,177View data - BaccalaureateMassachusetts
Williams College
Grad rate94%Admit rate8.3%Enrollment2,164Net price$17,716View data
Pomona College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research conducts studies and facilitates the use of data to support planning and decision-making, inform teaching and learning, and promote understanding about Pomona College and its mission.
Visit IR office page- Elizabeth R. GrahamDirector of Institutional Research
- Robyn SaikiInstitutional Research Analyst
Common Data Set
Pomona College's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Reports & documents (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookInstitutional Research Fast FactsThe page provides quick access to fast facts and reports from Pomona College's Office of Institutional Research. It includes links to deeper reports such as the Common Data Set, Benchmarks and Indicators, Completed Majors, and Historical Enrollment Trends. Contact information for Elizabeth R. Graham, the Director of Institutional Research, and various ways to connect with Pomona College, such as social media, are also provided. The page serves as a central hub for accessing structured data and insight about the college's institutional metrics.pomona.edu
- Strategic planStrategic Vision for Pomona College2020Pomona College has outlined a strategic vision to address the grand challenges of the 21st century through holistic liberal arts education. The plan emphasizes transformative knowledge, creativity, and building a diverse community to nurture leadership and inclusion. A strong commitment to equity and accessible financial aid underlies their approach to maintain Pomona's tradition as a leading liberal arts institution.pomona.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Pomona College (8)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- James TurrellVisual Art
- Joel McCreaFilm and Television
- Robert TaylorFilm and Television
- Richard ChamberlainFilm and Television
- Kris KristoffersonMusic
- Jennifer DoudnaScience
- James H. HowardMilitary
- Brian SchatzPolitics
Frequently asked questions about Pomona College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Pomona College.
What is the acceptance rate at Pomona College?
What is the graduation rate at Pomona College?
How many students attend Pomona College?
What is the average net price at Pomona College?
What is the yield rate at Pomona College?
Where is Pomona College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Pomona College?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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