Is CMC or Middlebury harder to get into?

CMC is harder to get into than Middlebury. CMC's 9.6% acceptance rate is lower than Middlebury's 10.8%.

Which is cheaper, CMC or Middlebury?

CMC costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, CMC's average net price is $28,849 vs $31,483 at Middlebury.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, CMC or Middlebury?

CMC graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $104,736 at CMC and $76,310 at Middlebury.

CMC vs. Middlebury: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	CMC	Middlebury
Acceptance rate	9.6%	10.8%
SAT mid-50%	1470–1560	1445–1550
ACT mid-50%	33–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$86,500	$85,880
Avg net price (after aid)	$28,849	$31,483
Undergrad enrollment	1,388	2,738
6-yr graduation rate	91.4%	91.4%
Median earnings (10yr)	$104,736	$76,310
Setting	Claremont, California	Middlebury, Vermont

The Real Differences

CMC is modestly harder to get into. The 1.2-point gap matters at the margin but doesn't change the overall difficulty tier. Both schools draw similar applicant pools and admit similar profiles.

CMC graduates earn $28,426 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Middlebury grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Middlebury is substantially larger with 2,738 undergrads vs 1,388 at CMC. Bigger universities have more major options and broader research opportunities; smaller ones offer more access to faculty and tighter-knit communities.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. CMC is in Claremont, California; Middlebury is in Middlebury, Vermont. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. CMC is 49.9% women, 14.8% international, and 17.1% Asian-American. Middlebury is 53.5% women, 12.3% international, and 7.4% Asian-American.

Demographic	CMC	Middlebury
Women	49.9%	53.5%
International	14.8%	12.3%
White	35.7%	54.2%
Asian	17.1%	7.4%
Hispanic	14.8%	12.5%
Black	4.1%	5.2%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at CMC vs. Middlebury?

Get a probability for both schools calibrated to your full profile, not the headline rate.

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The Verdict

Pick CMC if

Net price matters: CMC costs $2,634 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($104,736 vs $76,310)
the research institutes

Pick Middlebury if

Your odds are realistic at Middlebury (slightly easier admit)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
its language schools

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Claremont McKenna College

9.6% accept · Claremont, California

Full profile

Middlebury College

10.8% accept · Middlebury, Vermont

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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Claremont McKenna College vs. Middlebury College