Harvey Mudd College vs Lafayette College

Harvey Mudd College and Lafayette College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Harvey Mudd, a highly selective college in Claremont, California, boasts a 13% acceptance rate and is renowned for its rigorous STEM programs, particularly in engineering, mathematics, and the sciences. Lafayette, a liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania, with a 33% acceptance rate, emphasizes a well-rounded education in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. While both colleges foster a vibrant campus community, Harvey Mudd's student body is predominantly male (68%), while Lafayette's is more evenly balanced (52% male, 48% female). Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' unique strengths and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Harvey Mudd College	Lafayette College
Overview
Location	Claremont, California	Easton, Pennsylvania
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	98.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Presbyterian

Admission
Acceptance rate	10.0%	40.7%
Application fees	$70	$65
SAT range	1480 - 1560	1300 - 1460
ACT range	34 - 36	30 - 33
Students submitting SAT score	40.0%	28.0%
Students submitting ACT score	20.0%	13.0%
Total number of applicants	4,737	8,262
Total number of admissions given out	473	3,366
Admitted students who chose to enroll	225	782
Yield rate	47.6%	23.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$82,236	$75,934
Average net price	$33,838	$38,754
Tuition	$60,402	$55,874
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,592 Meal plan: $8,741	Room/dormitory: $10,308 Meal plan: $6,362
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	63.0% Average amount $32,188	61.0% Average amount $34,668
Students receiving federal student loan	38.0% Average amount $4,821	26.0% Average amount $4,491
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $9,820	7.0% Average amount $23,831

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	905 Men 50.3% Women 49.7%	2,725 Men 51.2% Women 48.8%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	82.6%
International students	8.5%	7.8%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	926	2,510
First year students are required to live on campus?	Yes	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Mississippi Connecticut

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Physical Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Engineering Biological and Biomedical Sciences Social Sciences Physical Science Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	94.4%	87.9%
Dropout rate	0.5%	2.5%
Transferred out	4.7%	9.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $118,973 Year 2: $122,038 Year 3: $166,134 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $123,339 Year 2: $142,581 Year 3: $159,657 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $81,948 Year 2: $81,997 Year 3: $90,517	Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,532 Year 2: $68,379 Year 3: $80,306 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,033 Year 2: $65,238 Year 3: $78,021 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $77,247 Year 2: $71,575 Year 3: $76,714 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,784 Year 2: $65,486 Year 3: $76,536 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,714 Year 2: $72,403 Year 3: $75,320 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,927 Year 2: $58,943 Year 3: $72,455 International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,229 Year 2: $48,198 Year 3: $60,266 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,408 Year 2: $44,468 Year 3: $57,092 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,680 Year 2: $32,391 Year 3: $50,156 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,170 Year 3: $48,201

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Harvey Mudd College

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