Wheaton College vs Pomona College

Wheaton College and Pomona College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Wheaton, nestled in Norton, Massachusetts, boasts a lower acceptance rate (29%) compared to Pomona's (11%) in Claremont, California. While Wheaton's student body is predominantly female (62%), Pomona's is more gender-balanced (51% female). In terms of popular majors, Wheaton students often pursue English, Psychology, and Biology, while Pomona students frequently choose Economics, Biology, and Computer Science. With a slightly higher graduation rate (89% vs. 87%), Pomona's alumni may have a slight edge in the job market. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Pomona College	Wheaton College
Overview
Location	Claremont, California	Wheaton, Illinois
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 and Graduate
Students retention rate	96.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Undenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	6.6%	86.3%
Application fees	$70	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $30
SAT range	1470 - 1570	1250 - 1430
ACT range	33 - 35	27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score	37.0%	32.0%
Students submitting ACT score	29.0%	25.0%
Total number of applicants	11,620	1,993
Total number of admissions given out	771	1,719
Admitted students who chose to enroll	451	546
Yield rate	58.5%	31.8%
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	$74,873	$54,700
Average net price	$17,000	$28,319
Tuition	$56,284	$40,570
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,666 Meal plan: $7,858	Room/dormitory: $6,640 Meal plan: $4,660
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	57.0% Average amount $53,094	91.0% Average amount $23,469
Students receiving federal student loan	4.0% Average amount $4,273	52.0% Average amount $5,169
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $11,349	5.0% Average amount $15,404

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,764 Men 45.4% Women 54.6%	2,341 Men 44.9% Women 55.1%
Graduate students	N/A	706 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	11.3%	5.9%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,612	2,153
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Psychology Ethnic Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Psychology Theology Education Health Professions Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	7:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	93.0%	87.6%
Dropout rate	4.3%	3.1%
Transferred out	2.5%	9.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $110,738 Year 2: $128,737 Year 3: N/A Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,038 Year 2: $77,213 Year 3: N/A	Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,492 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $61,559 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,982 Year 2: $37,748 Year 3: $48,761 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,694 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $48,539 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $30,613 Year 2: $33,459 Year 3: $41,661 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,251 Year 2: $37,856 Year 3: $41,339 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,767 Year 2: $39,049 Year 3: $38,775 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,864 Year 3: $36,928 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,471 Year 2: $27,126 Year 3: $34,682 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,825 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $32,867 Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $31,289

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