1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Harvey Mudd College Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Harvey Mudd College CA · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #225 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/harvey-mudd-college/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/harvey-mudd-college/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/harvey-mudd-college/admissions/)[Majors](/school/harvey-mudd-college/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/harvey-mudd-college/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Harvey Mudd College #225 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Harvey Mudd College is a private nonprofit university in Claremont, California, where the degree mix is concentrated in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Engineering, and Computer & Information Sciences. Return is among the highest we track, and the college's strongest pillar sits far above its weakest. Graduates earn above the median at comparable institutions, and most are estimated to go into work rather than further study. The earnings picture is favorable across the board: the typical and upside scenarios are both high, and even the downside scenario lands above the median at comparable schools. Affordability is below the levels seen at many peers, and the net price is above the peer median. The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is wide. Families at the top of the income scale pay a net price above what those in the middle pay. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. The largest programs span Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Engineering, and Computer & Information Sciences. A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid one is not the largest. ## Harvey Mudd College at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 12.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 91.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $137,100 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,968 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $25,000 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $33,386 ## Harvey Mudd College rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Harvey Mudd College enrolls 921 undergraduates in Claremont, California, as a private nonprofit university. The college sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (85th percentile). Students who enter full time return for a second year at a rate of 96.4%, above the 74.2% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among those entering full time, 91.9% finish within six years, against a median of 54.9% at comparable institutions (same type and size). 12.7% of applicants gain admission, below the 75.7% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). With an estimated 1.7% of students entering as transfers or part-time students, the six-year rate at Harvey Mudd College covers nearly the entire student body. Return is the strongest pillar (at the 99th percentile), and affordability is the weakest (at the 9th percentile). Mobility and access sit between them (at the 61st and 34th percentiles). The four pillars are spread far apart. Azimuth evaluates Harvey Mudd College on four pillars among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 99th percentile, and mobility sits in the middle at the 61st percentile. Access is the next weakest, at the 34th percentile. Affordability is the weakest of the four, at the 9th percentile, and it is the pillar a reader should weigh most closely. 15.2% of undergraduates at Harvey Mudd College receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the college #966 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar is shaped by the Pell share and the completion rate for those students, though a Pell-specific completion figure is absent for this institution. The mobility pillar sits higher, with Azimuth ranking Harvey Mudd College #456 among the same cohort. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Harvey Mudd College rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #225 | | [California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) | #38 | | [West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) | #55 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 61 **Access & reach** National percentile: 34 **[Affordability](/school/harvey-mudd-college/cost/)** National percentile: 9 **[Return on investment](/school/harvey-mudd-college/outcomes/)** National percentile: 99 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Engineering, General**#2** 2. Computer Science**#11** This school’s two highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/harvey-mudd-college/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Harvey Mudd College briefing ## [Harvey Mudd College cost & financial aid](/school/harvey-mudd-college/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Harvey Mudd College lists a published cost of attendance of $90,165 (an average across living arrangements). For the average aid recipient, financial aid reduces that sticker price by $54,241. The university reported on-campus food and housing at $23,434 and required fees of $401 in its 2025-26 Common Data Set. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what aid recipients actually pay—is $35,924. That is $13,577 above the $22,347 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 60% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #1,292 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The published cost of attendance at Harvey Mudd College is $90,165 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #1,292 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $27,979, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $17,968, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $50,665. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $22,686. Aid covers about 60% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price—cost after grants and scholarships—across all aid recipients to $35,924. The published tuition and fees are $68,613, and the average financial aid savings against the sticker price is $54,241. That is $13,577 above the $22,347 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). 92.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $25,000 in federal student loans, level with the median for comparable institutions. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $33,386 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$17,968** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Harvey Mudd College Four years after completion, graduates of Harvey Mudd College earn a median of $137,100. That figure is $81,185 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), placing the college in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks it #12 for return. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, show a wide range: a downside scenario of $66,944 and an upside scenario of $186,831. The median federal debt at completion is $25,000, which is level with the peer median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $33,386. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $25,000 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $33,386 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $284/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $424/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=harvey-mudd-college#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/harvey-mudd-college/cost/) 02 / Harvey Mudd College briefing ## [Harvey Mudd College career outcomes & earnings](/school/harvey-mudd-college/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Azimuth places the return pillar for Harvey Mudd College in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $137,100. That figure sits in the 99th percentile nationally. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $55,915, which puts Harvey Mudd College $81,185 above the peer median. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $137,100. Azimuth places that figure in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 135 completers. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a typical figure of $137,100, with a downside scenario of $66,944 and an upside scenario of $186,831. An estimated 30.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $137,100, at the 99th percentile. That is $81,185 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Harvey Mudd College #12 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix is concentrated in engineering, computer science, and multidisciplinary studies. The typical earnings scenario, estimated from that mix, is $137,100. The downside earnings scenario is $66,944, and the upside reaches $186,831. An estimated 30.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Earnings vary substantially by program mix. The earnings scenarios range from $66,944 on the downside to $186,831 on the upside, with $137,100 as the typical scenario. At the higher end, Computer Science graduates earn $198,257 four years after completion, from 49 degrees awarded a year. Engineering graduates earn $122,845, from 51 degrees awarded. Graduates here earn enough to manage their debt, with the return pillar at the 99th percentile. The published cost of attendance is $90,165 (an average across living arrangements), and the average net price—what aid recipients actually pay after grants and scholarships—is $35,924. That average net price is $13,577 above the peer median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The spread between the lowest and highest income bands is $22,686, with the lowest band averaging $27,979 and the highest averaging $50,665. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $25,000 in federal student loans, level with the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $284 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $33,386 in Parent PLUS loans. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/harvey-mudd-college/outcomes/) 03 / Harvey Mudd College briefing ## [Harvey Mudd College acceptance rate & admissions](/school/harvey-mudd-college/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Harvey Mudd College admits 12.7% of applicants, a rate that sits well below the median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 5,213 first-year applicants and admitted 641, with 234 enrolling. SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 12.7% **25th percentile** 1500 **Median** 1510 **75th percentile** 1560 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/harvey-mudd-college/admissions/) 04 / Harvey Mudd College briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Harvey Mudd College?](/school/harvey-mudd-college/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Harvey Mudd College offers only two ranked bachelor's programs, and both sit near the top of their fields nationally. Engineering is the largest program with published earnings, with 51 degrees awarded and median earnings of $122,845 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #2 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Computer Science awards nearly as many degrees, at 49, but its graduates earn considerably more four years after completion: a median of $198,257. Azimuth ranks the program #11 nationally. The earnings gap between the two programs is wide, and the higher-earning field is not the one awarding the most degrees. A student choosing between them is choosing between two very different earnings paths, both strong by national standards. Harvey Mudd College awards just over two-thirds of its bachelor's degrees in three technical families. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies accounts for 26.0% of degrees, Engineering for 22.1%, and Computer & Information Sciences for 21.2%. The college has 2 nationally ranked program. The largest program with published earnings is Engineering, at 51 degrees a year. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #2 nationally within its field and #1 in California, and graduates earn a median of $122,845 four years after completion. Computer Science is the highest-earning program, with a median of $198,257 four years out, from 49 degrees a year. Harvey Mudd College awards a large share of its bachelor's degrees in three technical families. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies accounts for 26.0% of degrees awarded, with Engineering at 22.1% and Computer & Information Sciences at 21.2%. The college has 2 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 2 with published four-year earnings data. The largest program with published earnings is Engineering, at 51 degrees awarded a year. Graduates earn a median of $122,845 four years after completion, and the program ranks #1 in California within its field. Computer Science is nearly as large, with 49 degrees awarded. It is the highest-earning program, at $198,257, and carries a benchmark ratio of 1.85x against the national median for its field. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #4 in California within its field. Strength is concentrated in two programs that sit near the top of their fields nationally. The earnings figures are high, and the benchmark ratios show both programs well above the national median for their fields. Together, Engineering and Computer Science account for the majority of the college's 2 ranked programs. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Mathematics and Computer Science 55 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Engineering, General 51 degrees awarded** $122,845 **Computer Science 49 degrees awarded** $198,257 **Physics 20 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Mathematics 18 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Chemistry 10 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/harvey-mudd-college/majors/) 05 / Harvey Mudd College briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Harvey Mudd College?](/school/harvey-mudd-college/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/harvey-mudd-college/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Harvey Mudd College. Admissions peerPomona College7.1% admitted+ Comparison with Harvey Mudd College | Measure | Harvey Mudd College | Pomona College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $137,100 | $77,544\-$59,556 vs Harvey Mudd College | | Average annual net price | $35,924 | $19,285\-$16,639 vs Harvey Mudd College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 12.7% | 7.1% | [Explore Pomona College →](/school/pomona-college/) Higher-admission alternativeUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis89.8% admitted+ Comparison with Harvey Mudd College | Measure | Harvey Mudd College | University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $137,100 | $131,813\-$5,287 vs Harvey Mudd College | | Average annual net price | $35,924 | $31,817\-$4,107 vs Harvey Mudd College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 12.7% | 89.8% | [Explore University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis →](/school/university-of-health-sciences-and-pharmacy-in-st-louis/) Nearby alternativeCalifornia Institute of TechnologyNearby option · CA+ Comparison with Harvey Mudd College | Measure | Harvey Mudd College | California Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $137,100 | $152,843+$15,743 vs Harvey Mudd College | | Average annual net price | $35,924 | $16,075\-$19,849 vs Harvey Mudd College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 12.7% | 2.6% | [Explore California Institute of Technology →](/school/california-institute-of-technology/) Lower-cost alternativeCalifornia Institute of Technology$16,075 average net price+ Comparison with Harvey Mudd College | Measure | Harvey Mudd College | California Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $137,100 | $152,843+$15,743 vs Harvey Mudd College | | Average annual net price | $35,924 | $16,075\-$19,849 vs Harvey Mudd College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 12.7% | 2.6% | [Explore California Institute of Technology →](/school/california-institute-of-technology/) Similar profileCalifornia Institute of TechnologyMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Harvey Mudd College | Measure | Harvey Mudd College | California Institute of Technology | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $137,100 | $152,843+$15,743 vs Harvey Mudd College | | Average annual net price | $35,924 | $16,075\-$19,849 vs Harvey Mudd College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 12.7% | 2.6% | [Explore California Institute of Technology →](/school/california-institute-of-technology/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/harvey-mudd-college/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)