Harvey Mudd College 2026 Admission Statistics

Admissions Snapshot: Harvey Mudd College

• Acceptance rate: 12.3% (643 admitted from 5,217 applicants)
• SAT middle 50%: 1500–1560
• ACT middle 50%: 35–36
• Testing policy for 2026–27 applicants: test-optional
• Undergraduate enrollment: 921
• Published tuition: $68,613
• Average net price after aid: $35,924

Admissions figures describe the fall 2025 entering class, the most recent year we hold verified figures for, from the school's own Common Data Set in GoodGoblin's database. They match our Harvey Mudd College admissions page. Testing policy is from the Common App 2026–27 requirements grid; enrollment and cost are from the federal College Scorecard. See how your profile compares with GoodGoblin's college match.

Harvey Mudd Admission Guide

Curiosity without fear: that’s the kind of mind Harvey Mudd admits and unleashes on the world.

Why read this?

You are a high‑school junior who will press submit in an upcoming cycle.
Harvey Mudd College (HMC) published its 2024‑25 Common Data Set, revealing numbers on admit rates, test scores, and aid. This narrative cheat‑sheet (no tables, no fluff) translates raw data into action steps so you can benchmark your profile, master the timeline, and craft an application that screams Mudders gonna mudd.

The Admission Landscape: Numbers in Plain English

• 5,217 applications arrived for the fall 2025 entering class; 643 offers went out, an overall admit rate of 12.3% (Common Data Set, fall 2025).
• Early Decision punch. About 550 ED I + ED II apps produced 150 admits, a 27 % admit rate, over double Regular Decision.
• Tiny class, big yield. 229 freshmen enrolled, yielding 40 % of admits. Every seat counts.
• Wait‑list mirage. 1 200+ accepted a WL spot; fewer than 30 were admitted: treat WL as unlikely.
• Persistence. First‑year retention is 98 %; six‑year grad rate hovers at 93 %. Once on the 5C campus, students stay.

Academic Profile of the 2024‑25 Admitted Class

• Testing optional, sky‑high if you report.
  • SAT middle 50 %: 1500–1560 composite.
  • ACT middle 50 %: 35–36 (Common Data Set, fall 2025).
  • Submit only if you clear 1510/34 territory; otherwise lean on GPA + rigor.
• GPA & rank. Average unweighted GPA 3.93; 99 % of reporting admits ranked in the top 10 %.
• Course intensity matters most. HMC labels curriculum strength, GPA, recommendations, essays, and extracurricular impact “very important.” Senior year should include Calc BC (or multivariable), calculus‑based physics, chemistry, and at least one rigorous humanities course.
• Maker résumé. Admits boast original research, Olympiad medals, robotics patents, or open‑source contributions that solve real problems.

What Harvey Mudd Values (and How to Show It)

• Interdisciplinary mastery. HMC’s Common Core fuses math, physics, chem, CS, biology, writing, and ethics, prove you can thrive across disciplines.
• Problem‑solving impact. Whether you built an autonomous drone for crop monitoring or coded an algorithm used by 5 000 gamers, quantify results.
• Collaboration humility. Essays that celebrate team breakthroughs (and personal growth amid failure) resonate more than lone‑genius tales.
• Human context. Mudders tackle societal issues with tech; weave ethics, equity, or sustainability into your narrative.
• Genuine voice. Show passion, wit, even nerdy humor, admission staff love applicants who embrace their quirks.

The Money Question

• Sticker price 2025‑26: $65 800 tuition + $380 fees + $19 900 room/board ≈ $86 000 all‑in.
• Need‑blind (U.S. citizens + permanent residents) & full‑need met. Average first‑year need‑based grant $46 000; loans capped at $3 500.
• Merit aid is tiny but mighty. About 20 President’s Scholars receive half‑to‑full tuition; selection is automatic from the RD pool.
• International aid is need‑aware with limited funds: apply early and explain finances clearly.
• Aid deadlines. CSS Profile + FAFSA by February 15 for RD; submit with application for ED rounds.
• Net Price Calculator. Run it before committing ED.

Anticipated Timeline

Spring of junior year

• Lock multivariable calc (or Calc BC at minimum), calculus‑based physics, and an advanced humanities elective.
• Decide on August SAT/ACT only if trending ≥1510/34.

Summer before senior year

• Draft the Common App essay and HMC’s quirky supplemental prompts (STEM passion + humanities question).
• Finish a standout project (research paper, engineering build, or code repo) and document metrics.

Early fall of senior year

• Visit Claremont or join a virtual admission workshop; register your interest.
• November  15, ED I application deadline.

Winter of senior year

• January  5, ED II and Regular Decision deadline; last test scores must arrive by Jan  15.
• ED I decisions mid‑December; ED II by mid‑February.

Spring of senior year

• RD decisions late March; compare aid offers.
• May  1. Enrollment deposit; housing portal opens immediately.

Life on the Hill (and Across the 5Cs)

• 8 : 1 student–faculty ratio; average class size 18.
• Residential culture. All freshmen live in dorms famous for student‑run culture: expect multi‑story Rube‑Goldbergs and midnight pancakes.
• 5‑College synergy. Cross‑register at Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Scripps, or Pitzer; the consortium adds 2 700 courses, 200 clubs, and shared dining halls.
• Traditions. Engineering Clinic, Frosh Dive into the Linde Pool, Harvey Mudd Water Balloon Fight, and yearly Prank MIT/Caltech missions.
• SoCal perks. Internship pipelines to JPL, SpaceX, Blizzard, plus weekend hikes in the San Gabriels.

How to Decide If Harvey Mudd Fits

1. Do you crave small, rigorous STEM classes wrapped in liberal‑arts ethos?
2. Will hands‑on, team‑based Clinic projects excite you more than solo theory?
3. Can you juggle heft across math, science, humanities, and social impact?
4. Does SoCal sunshine (and 30‑minute drives to mountains, desert, and beaches) fit your lifestyle?

Three or more “yes” answers? Mudd deserves an ED or RD shot.

Quick‑Hit Checklist

• [ ] Maintain 3.9 + GPA with max rigor.
• [ ] Submit SAT ≥ 1510 or ACT ≥ 34 only if above mid‑range.
• [ ] Finalize one measurable impact project by September.
• [ ] Complete HMC supplements full of genuine voice and tech‑humanities fusion.
• [ ] Apply ED I by Nov 15 or ED II/RD by Jan 5.
• [ ] File CSS Profile + FAFSA by Feb 15.
• [ ] Reference a Clinic project or 5C resource in your essays.

Final Word

Harvey Mudd marries Caltech‑level rigor with liberal‑arts breadth and a tight‑knit community that codes, welds, debates philosophy, and pranks MIT before breakfast. Admission is hyper‑selective yet transparent: rigorous academics, a demonstrable impact spike, and essays that blend STEM + human context. Nail those (and the timeline) and you could soon be launching foam rockets off Parsons Courtyard.

Want a plan built around your numbers? GoodGoblin benchmarks your transcript, projects, and essays against real Mudd admit data, then maps weekly action steps. Start a free trial today and turn purpose into an admit letter.