Pomona College
Claremont, California · Private · 1,666 undergraduates · pomona.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
7.1%
of 12,470 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1490 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$105,960Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Pomona College
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
7.1% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 7.1% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$105,960
a year in 2027-28, from a $105,960 sticker price
What to do with your 1520
Send your score
About 54% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1420, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Paths to Apply | Pomona College in Claremont, California - Pomona College · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov8Early Decision · November 8, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan8Early Decision II · January 8, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan8Regular Decision · January 8, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
7.1%
of applicants were admitted: 890 of 12,470 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 14% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,017 students were offered a spot; 31 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 37% of them sent SAT scores and 12% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1490 to 1550
Reading and Writing 740 to 770
Math 730 to 790
ACT composite 32 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160098%
- 1200 to 13992%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$105,960
a year
- Tuition$77,510
- Fees$450
- Food and housing$25,510
- Transportation and other$2,490
Pomona College published $97,970 for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$5,297
- $30,001 to $48,000$5,418
- $48,001 to $75,000$5,790
- $75,001 to $110,000$16,466
- Over $110,000$48,928
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$69,920
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
0%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid deadline: January 15
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- checked, not specified
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
National Merit Pomona College Scholarship (NMSC college-sponsored)
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
31 of 37
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,750Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 1 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 1 |
| Art History | 4 | 1 |
| Biology | 4 | 1 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 1 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 1 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | |
| Chemistry | 4 | 1 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 1 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 1 |
| Drawing | 4 | 1 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 1 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 1 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 1 |
| European History | 4 | 1 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 1 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Latin | 4 | 1 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 4 | |
| Music Theory | 4 | 1 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | |
| Physics 2 | 4 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 1 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 1 |
| Psychology | 4 | 1 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 1 |
| Statistics | 4 | 1 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 1 |
| United States History | 4 | 1 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 1 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
92%
Come back for a second year
98%
Typical earnings
$84,281
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Pomona College$124,817
- All colleges$89,628
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Pomona College. The Pomona College logo is a trademark of the college.