Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Scripps College #1057 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $75,301, placing Scripps College in the 75.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Scripps College #456 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions — reflecting strong outcomes for its student population.
Azimuth ranks Scripps College #1057 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Claremont, California, Scripps College enrolls roughly 1,113 undergraduates. Retention is 93.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 82.5%, reflecting strong institutional support for degree completion. Where Scripps College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Scripps College #602 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $75,301. The institution's dominant program family is Social Sciences, which aligns with strong labor-market demand and earnings outcomes typical of liberal arts colleges that emphasize analytical and communication skills valued across professional fields. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Scripps College sits in the 10.1 percentile for access and the 15.4 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. With 11.0% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, the institution enrolls a more limited low-income cohort than many peer institutions, a pattern typical of selective private colleges. Mobility outcomes place the institution in the 61.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting how well graduates convert their education into sustained career and earnings progress.
Scripps College's published cost of attendance is $87,564, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $6,948; middle-income families pay around $15,831; higher-income families pay approximately $54,572. Azimuth ranks Scripps College #1206 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Scripps College's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid applied to close the gap between cost of attendance and family contribution. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Work-study is available as part of aid packages for eligible students. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $57,648; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $75,301, median federal debt of $13,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $153 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Scripps College is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences and humanities who want a small liberal arts college experience in CA. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $75,301, placing Scripps College in the 75.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The aid structure is need-based. For admitted Pell-eligible students — 11.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants — that structure can meaningfully close the gap between the $54,572 published cost and what families actually pay. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 38.3% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors liberal arts fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find a strong liberal arts experience.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Scripps College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Scripps College's published cost of attendance is $87,564, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $6,948; middle-income families pay around $15,831; higher-income families pay approximately $54,572.
Azimuth ranks Scripps College #1206 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Scripps College's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid applied to close the gap between cost of attendance and family contribution. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs.
Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Work-study is available as part of aid packages for eligible students.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $57,648; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $75,301, median federal debt of $13,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $153 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Scripps College earn median 4-year earnings of $75,301, placing Scripps College in the 75.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Scripps College #602 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
These outcomes reflect both the institution's social-sciences-focused curriculum and the strong labor-market positioning of its graduates in fields that reward analytical and communication skills. The earnings pattern is anchored in Social Sciences, which shapes the institution's economic profile.
Political Science is the largest program with 24 graduates, followed by Natural Resources Conservation and Research with 20 graduates and Research Psychology with 19 graduates. These three fields together represent the core of Scripps College's degree output and drive the institution's overall earnings trajectory.
Smaller but economically significant programs including Biology, General and Economics round out the portfolio, contributing to the breadth of career pathways available to graduates.
Scripps College's program mix is anchored in the social sciences and humanities — a signature aligned with the institution's liberal arts identity and location in the Claremont Colleges consortium. Political Science is the largest program with 24 graduates, followed by Natural Resources Conservation and Research (20 graduates), Research Psychology (19 graduates), Biology, General (17 graduates), and Economics (16 graduates).
Social Sciences represents 18% of degrees, with Arts at 5% and other STEM fields at 3%, reflecting the institution's emphasis on analytical and interpretive fields. The largest programs at Scripps College span social inquiry, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary study.
Political Science and Natural Resources Conservation and Research together account for a substantial share of the undergraduate cohort, anchoring the institution's curricular identity. Research Psychology, Biology, General, and Economics round out the top five, each drawing meaningful enrollment and supporting the breadth of Scripps College's liberal arts mission.
These programs reflect the institution's strength in fields where critical thinking, written communication, and analytical reasoning form the foundation for post-graduate success. Many of Scripps College's dominant programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — particularly in Social Sciences and related humanities and social science fields — where four-year earnings reflect early-career outcomes for graduates who may continue to graduate or professional school.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national labor-market trends and the pathways graduates pursue after completion.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of California-Riverside Higher acceptance rate (29.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 24 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 63% | $67,699 | Compare |
University Of Redlands Higher acceptance rate (47 percentage points higher) and located 31 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 81% | $72,690 | Compare |
Southern California Institute Of Architecture Higher acceptance rate (48.7 percentage points higher) and located 30 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CA | 83% | $71,909 | Compare |
Virginia Military Institute Higher acceptance rate (47.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | VA | 82% | $77,369 | Compare |
American University Higher acceptance rate (13.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | DC | 47% | $77,370 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mercyhurst University Similar quality tier (#30562 ranked) | PA | 81% | $47,452 | #30562 | Compare |
Morehouse College Similar quality tier (#30564 ranked) | GA | 44% | $52,889 | #30564 | Compare |
Charleston Southern University Similar quality tier (#30561 ranked) | SC | 96% | $45,898 | #30561 | Compare |
Berry College Similar quality tier (#30560 ranked) | GA | 64% | $53,800 | #30560 | Compare |
Northwest Nazarene University Similar quality tier in West (#30565 ranked) | ID | 65% | $51,719 | #30565 | Compare |
