About

About Pitzer College

social justice focusconsortium collegesmall liberal artssustainability emphasis

Pitzer College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, CA, known for its social justice focus, consortium college, and small liberal arts. With an acceptance rate of 18%, Pitzer College is highly selective, typically enrolling around 309 students each year. Pitzer College is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. Pitzer College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; the average net price for families earning under $30,000 is $14,535.

Admissions

Pitzer College acceptance rate and admitted student profile

highly selective

18%
Overall Accept Rate
3.50
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 3.50 – 3.75 unweighted

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ED advantage at Pitzer College: ED acceptance rate is 42% vs 18% regular decision, more than double. If Pitzer Collegeis your first choice and you've confirmed the financial fit, Early Decision is one of the highest-leverage decisions you can make.

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Pitzer College

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Pitzer's application essays ask you directly about social responsibility and intercultural understanding, so connect your experiences to specific issues you want to address through the lens of Pitzer's core values. Avoid vague statements about wanting to change the world and instead name a concrete problem you care about and how Pitzer's community-based approach fits your plan.
Application Strategy
In your essays and activities list, show that you understand Pitzer sits within the Claremont Consortium and that you intend to take courses or collaborate across the five colleges. Mentioning a specific department or professor at Harvey Mudd, Pomona, or Scripps that complements Pitzer offerings signals you have done real research beyond the surface level.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Pitzer College actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Meets 100% of demonstrated need: Pitzer College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Pitzer College's sticker price of ~$80k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$80k/yr$14.5k
30k-48k~$80k/yr$7.8k
48k-75k~$80k/yr$20.8k
75k-110k~$80k/yr$29.5k
110k+~$80k/yr$46.8k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

83%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$52k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
9:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
1,205
Undergrad Enrollment
Pitzer College Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch