Pitzer College: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Pitzer College is a private nonprofit college in Claremont, CA. Students pay about $34,191 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $69,512 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 6.7 years and adds $74,606 over a decade, ranking it #215 of 918 (top 24%) by value added.
What is Pitzer College's acceptance rate?
Pitzer College has an acceptance rate of 25.2%, which makes it selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Claremont, CA enrolling about 1,227 students, with a 83.3% graduation rate.
How much does Pitzer College cost?
Pitzer College costs about $34,191 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $153,514. Published sticker cost of attendance is $86,466 per year.
How much do Pitzer College graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Pitzer College student earns $69,512 per year. That is $22,812 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Pitzer College worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Pitzer College pays back its roughly $153,514 cost in about 6.7 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $74,606 net of cost, a 1.49x return on the money invested. That ranks it #215 of 918 (top 24%) by value added. Its above-median value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Above-median value
Pitzer College graduation rate and student debt
83.3% of Pitzer College students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $16,750 in federal student debt. That debt is about 24% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Pitzer College by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Pitzer College compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $34,191 | $20,299 | cheaper than 10% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $69,512 | $54,768 | 81th |
| Graduation rate | 83.3% | 57.0% | 91th |
| Acceptance rate | 25.2% | 75.7% | more selective than 93% |
| 10-yr value added | $74,606 | -$28,192 | 77th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 1.49x | 0.73x | 72th |
| Payback period | 6.7 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 63% |
How Pitzer College compares with its nearest rivals
Pitzer College ranks #215 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 2 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Pitzer College is a private nonprofit college in Claremont, CA with 1,227 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $86,466 a year, but the average aided family pays $34,191, a 60% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $16,750, equal to 24% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Pitzer College admits 25.2% of applicants.
- Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX; #247 of 918; 68.1% graduate) costs $15,121 less per year ($19,070 net), and its graduates earn $7,058 less ten years out ($62,454). Pitzer College adds $14,846 more ten-year value than Texas Tech University. Texas Tech University pays back its cost in 6.2 years.
- University of Vermont (Burlington, VT; #247 of 918; 78.6% graduate) costs $14,848 less per year ($19,343 net), and its graduates earn $7,040 less ten years out ($62,472). Pitzer College adds $15,209 more ten-year value than University of Vermont. University of Vermont pays back its cost in 6.2 years.
- Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA; #252 of 918; 80.7% graduate) costs $878 less per year ($33,313 net), and its graduates earn $1,923 less ten years out ($67,589). Pitzer College adds $17,405 more ten-year value than Whitman College. Whitman College pays back its cost in 7.3 years.
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ; #105 of 918; 84.3% graduate) costs $9,785 less per year ($24,406 net), and its graduates earn $4,967 more ten years out ($74,479). Rutgers University-New Brunswick adds $84,060 more ten-year value than Pitzer College. Rutgers University-New Brunswick pays back its cost in 4.3 years.
- New York University (New York, NY; #86 of 918; 88.0% graduate) costs $2,859 more per year ($37,050 net), and its graduates earn $12,997 more ten years out ($82,509). New York University adds $114,784 more ten-year value than Pitzer College. New York University pays back its cost in 4.7 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York University | #86 | $37,050 | $82,509 | 88.0% | $189,390 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | #105 | $24,406 | $74,479 | 84.3% | $158,666 |
| Pitzer College | #215 | $34,191 | $69,512 | 83.3% | $74,606 |
| Texas Tech University | #247 | $19,070 | $62,454 | 68.1% | $59,760 |
| University of Vermont | #247 | $19,343 | $62,472 | 78.6% | $59,397 |
| Whitman College | #252 | $33,313 | $67,589 | 80.7% | $57,201 |
Paying for Pitzer College
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is Pitzer College worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Pitzer College ranks #215 of 918 (top 24%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 1.49x the money invested over a decade.
Is Pitzer College expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $34,191 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 10% of them.
Do Pitzer College graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $69,512 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 81% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Pitzer College compared to other colleges?
Its 25.2% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 93% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.