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| Motto | Provida Futuri |
|---|---|
Motto in English | Mindful of the Future |
| Type | Privateliberal arts college |
| Established | 1963; 62 years ago (1963) |
| Endowment | $180 million (2022)[1] |
| Budget | $95 million[2] |
| President | Strom C. Thacker |
Academic staff | 116[3] |
| Undergraduates | 1,067 (fall 2015)[3] |
| Location | ,, United States 34°6′14″N117°42′20″W / 34.10389°N 117.70556°W /34.10389; -117.70556 |
| Campus | Suburban, 35 acres (14 ha) |
| Colors | Orange and white |
| Mascot | Cecil the Sagehen |
| Website | www |
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Pitzer College is aprivateliberal arts college inClaremont, California. It was founded in 1963 as awomen's college in theClaremont Colleges consortium and became coeducational in 1970.
Pitzer enrolls approximately 1000 students. Pitzer offers 41 majors and 22 minors,[4] many of them cross-disciplinary. The college has a curricular emphasis on thesocial sciences,behavioral sciences,international programs, andmedia studies.[5] Pitzer is known for itssocial justice culture and experimental pedagogical approach.[6]
Pitzer competes in theNCAA Division III'sSouthern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in a joint athletic program withPomona College (another consortium member) as thePomona-Pitzer Sagehens. Notable alumni include federal officials, authors, and various figures in the entertainment industry. Pitzer is a top producer of Fulbright US Student Program awardees.
Pitzer was made the sixth institution of theClaremont Colleges when it was founded in 1963 as awomen's college byRussell K. Pitzer (1878–1978), a California citrus magnate, philanthropist, andPomona College alumnus. In April 1963,John W. Atherton, the dean of faculty and a professor of English at Claremont Men's College (now Claremont McKenna College) was hired as Pitzer's first president, and over the next seventeen months he recruited students, faculty, and trustees and constructed Scott and Sanborn Halls just in time for the fall 1964 semester. During the college's first year, students and faculty created the curriculum and the school's system of governance. The college graduated its first class of students in 1965 and became co-educational in the fall of 1970.[7][8] The first academic term in the fall of 1964 began with eleven professors and 153 students from sixteen states and five countries. Pitzer's sixth president,Melvin L. Oliver, was the first African American to lead any of the five Claremont Colleges.
Pitzer's campus is in Claremont, California, covering an area of approximately 35 acres (14 ha). The campus is located approximately 10 mi (16 km) west ofLA/Ontario International Airport and Los Angeles can be accessed viaMetrolink. Access to campus is also provided viaInterstate 10 andInterstate 210. The campus comprises sixteen buildings, including five residence halls. West and East Halls earned Platinum LEED certification when they opened 2012.[11]
The Pitzer College campus occupies the northeast corner of theClaremont Colleges property, which contains seven institutions of higher education coordinated through theClaremont University Consortium. The Claremont Colleges comprisePomona College (founded in 1887),Claremont Graduate University (1925),Scripps College (1926),Claremont McKenna College (1946),Harvey Mudd College (1955), Pitzer College (1963), andKeck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (1997). At present, the campus is split approximately in half by Pitzer Road. Harvey Mudd College is adjacent to Pitzer's north, Scripps to the west, and Claremont McKenna to the south.[12]
Contemporary architecture characterizes the majority of Pitzer's buildings, several of which were designed byGwathmey-Siegel following major donations fromEli Broad, a board member emeritus and formerchair of the Pitzer College Board ofTrustees.[13] A notable exception is the Grove House, aCalifornia bungalow built in 1902 for a local citrus grower during the height of theArts and Crafts movement.[14] The building, a popular campus hangout to this day, was purchased for $1.00 and moved to Pitzer in 1977 under the direction of professor emeritusBarry Sanders. The Grove House is home to a cafe, the Women's Center, the Hinshaw Gallery and the EcoCenter.[15]
Mostlandscaping on the campus follows principles ofxeriscaping. Several varieties ofcitrus and other fruit are grown throughout campus and an organiccommunity garden, dedicatedgrove and chicken coop are located north of Mead Hall.[16] The 10-acre John R. Rodman Arboretum, an attempt to save surviving nativechaparral vegetation from demolition, was founded in 1984. It contains 16 themed gardens with drought-tolerant, native landscaping.[17][18]
The campus also includes auditoriums, sports courts, and science buildings.
Located directly northwest of the main campus, theRobert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, a resource of The Claremont Colleges, is an 86-acre (35 ha) nature preserve consisting ofcoastal sage scrub.[19]
The Outback Preserve, located in the northeast section of campus, occupies just over three acres of the John Rodman Arboretum. The preserve is home to one of the rarest ecosystems in the world: Alluvial Sage Scrub. Undergoingecological restoration as part of the Outback Restoration Project, the preserve is a living-learning laboratory. The project seeks to restore the Outback Preserve to a more intact alluvial sage scrub ecosystem, removing invasive plants and ensuring the success of native species. Each semester there are a small number of courses utilizing the Outback Preserve. Courses are open to all students at the Claremont Colleges.[20]
Pitzer owns and operates a 145-acre (59 ha) field station on secondary growthrainforest, theFirestone Center for Restoration Ecology. The facility is located approximately two kilometers east ofPlaya Dominical,Costa Rica.[21] The property borders the Hacienda Barú nature reserve.[22] The center is home to programs in Pitzer's science, language and international studies curricula.[23]
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| Liberal arts | |
| U.S. News & World Report[24] | 36 |
| Washington Monthly[25] | 52 |
| National | |
| Forbes[26] | 54 |
| WSJ/College Pulse[27] | 77 |
TheU.S. News & World Report College and University rankings 2025 edition ranks Pitzer College as tied for the 36th best national liberal arts college overall, and tied for 54th in "Top Performers on Social Mobility" out of 211 evaluated liberal arts colleges.[28] In 2015, Pitzer was recognized nationally as the 8th most selective liberal arts college; 20th most selective among all college and universities; 44th in best freshmen retention rate; and 55th for highest proportion of classes with fewer than 20 students.[29][30][31][32][33]
InForbes' 2019 college rankings, Pitzer was named 54th best among the 650 top-ranked colleges, universities and service academies in the U.S.[34] In addition, Pitzer was named the 44th best private college, the 22nd best liberal arts college, and the 11th best college in the West.[34]
As a member of the Claremont College Consortium, Pitzer students have access to nearly all facilities available to students enrolled at the other colleges, in addition to all facilities administered by the Claremont College Consortium. Any student attending Pitzer can enroll in classes at the other four colleges, and can complete an off-campus major if the major is not offered by Pitzer.
Pitzer offers 41 majors and 22 minors,[4] many of them cross-disciplinary, and each student is assigned a faculty advisor upon their arrival on campus. The college expects students to take an active part in planning their course of study and has few distribution requirements.[35] The most popular majors, based on 2021 graduates were:[36]
The student/faculty ratio is 10:1, and 100% of Pitzer's tenure-track faculty hold a Ph.D. or the terminal degree in their field.[35]
The college operates 58 study abroad programs, including 41 international exchanges and 6 domestic exchanges. Pitzer College also operates its own study abroad programs in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Italy, Nepal, Tanzania/South Africa/Zimbabwe, and Vietnam.[37][38]
Pitzer has ranked as a top producer of Fulbright US Student Program awardees for 13 consecutive years thus far and is one of the nine baccalaureate institutes who have been top producers of Fulbright US students every year for at least the past decade.[39] From 2010 to 2015,The Chronicle of Higher Education listed Pitzer first in Fulbright Fellowships among all undergraduate institutions nationwide. In 11 of the 12 years from 2003 until 2015, Pitzer alumni received more Fulbright Fellowships per capita than alumni from any other college or university in the nation.[40]
| 2023[41] | 2019[42] | 2018[43] | 2017[44] | 2016[45] | 2015[46] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 4,415 | 4,358 | 3,753 | 4,142 | 4,149 | |
| Admits | 605 | 581 | 608 | 569 | 559 | |
| Admit rate | 13.7% | 13.3% | 16.2% | 13.7% | 13.5% | |
| Enrolled | 276 | 273 | 262 | 268 | 267 | |
| Yield rate | 45.6% | 47.0% | 43.1% | 47.1% | 47.8% | |
| SAT range | 1350–1460 | 1340–1490 | 1310–1490 | 1300–1450 | 1250–1440 | |
| ACT range | 30–33 | 30–33 | 29–32 | 29–32 | 29–32 |
Nearly two decades after becoming the first college on the West Coast to adopt an SAT-optional admission policy, Pitzer College switched to a test-free admission policy for at least three years, beginning with the admission cycle for fall 2022.[47] Admission to Pitzer College is rated as "most selective" byU.S. News & World Report. For the Class of 2027, Pitzer College accepted 15.9% of applicants (enrolling fall 2023) with an average high school GPA of 4.07. Of the 32% of enrolled freshmen submittingSAT scores, the middle 50% range was 1370–1460 for the composite score, 668–730 for evidence-based reading and writing, and 680–750 for math, while of the 28% of enrolled freshmen submittingACT results, the middle 50% range for the composite score was 30–33.[42]
Pitzer College enrolls approximately 1000 students, making it the third largest of the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges (Claremont McKenna andPomona have larger student bodies, whileHarvey Mudd andScripps are smaller). Pitzer College ranks 25th nationwide among allBaccalaureate Colleges for percentage of its students whostudy abroad, and Pitzer has the highest rate of study abroad among the Claremont Colleges. Students of color constitute over 49.6% of the total student body and Pitzer enrolls 10% international students, the third largest among the Claremont Consortium behind Pomona College (12%) and Claremont Mckenna College (16%).[48]
The Pitzer College community is known for its involvement outside of the classroom. Its students, faculty, and staff donate over 100,000 hours to community service annually. The college has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll seven times.[49]
Much of Pitzer's community engagement occurs in the Community Engagement Center (CEC).[50] The CEC runs the Pitzer in Ontario Program, a comprehensive semester-long service learning and cultural immersion program with a strong theoretical foundation in the human sciences informed by the best practices in the field of experiential education. The program integrates extensive internship experiences in city, private or non-profit organizations with interdisciplinary coursework that provides the theoretical framework from which social and urban issues can be evaluated.[51]
At theCampus Compact 20/20 Visioning Summit on October 17, 2006, theCorporation for National and Community Service recognized Pitzer as one of 28 California campuses distinguished for community service andHurricane Katrina relief efforts. Pitzer College receivedMother Jones Magazine 2006 Campus Activism for Thinking Outside of the Box.[52][53]
Pitzer College students including formerSpeaker of the California State AssemblyFabian Nunez '97 helped in founding the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center.[54] Through the Community Engagement Center, dozens of Pitzer students volunteer each semester with programs atCamp Afflerbaugh andCalifornia Youth Authority Chino.
Kohoutek Music and Arts Festival began in 1974 and is a student-run multi-day outdoor music and arts festival held each spring on the Pitzer campus. The event, which is free and open to all Claremont Colleges community members, is named afterComet Kohoutek. The festival generally includes student vendors, fire performances, afarmers market, and other activities.[55]
Orientation Adventure is the pre-Welcome Week program for incoming students. Usually, students go on an outdoor adventure trip.[56]
Murals on the interiors and exteriors of campus buildings provide unique visual atmosphere to Pitzer college.[57]
Snackie Snack is a free late-night snack served by the Pitzer Activities (PAct) Programming Board. During exam periods, Snackie Snack is served by the president and members of the cabinet.[58]
Reggae Fest began in 2003 as a fall concert event. The festival runs over the course of a single day and features professional bands, free food, and beverages. In 2016, thePitzer College Student Senate suspended funding for the event amid concerns that it wasculturally appropriative and disrespectful toward Jamaican culture.[59]
The school also has many options for intramural sports.[60][61]
Originally opened in 1995, the Gold Student Health and Wellness Center was renovated and reopened in 2014.[62]
The Residential Life Project is expected to be completed in three phases over the next 10 to 15 years. Phase I, which included Sanborn, Pitzer, and Atherton Halls, was completed and inaugurated in September 2007 and receivedLEED Gold recognition from theUnited States Green Building Council in 2008.[63] Robert Redford and Ed Begley Jr. were the keynote speakers at the dedication ceremony of the Residential Life Project. Phase II, which incorporates four new residence halls, a demonstration kitchen, an archive, a board room and program/faculty offices, was completed in 2012 and earned LEED platinum certification.[64]
When Pitzer's Residential Life Project is complete, the college expects to become the first college in the nation to have all Gold or Platinum LEED certified residence halls.[65]
Pitzer has more than 50 student clubs and organizations on campus, in addition to over 200 others within the Claremont Colleges consortium.[66]
| Women's | Men's |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Baseball |
| Cross country | Basketball |
| Golf | Cross country |
| Lacrosse | Football |
| Soccer | Golf |
| Softball | Soccer |
| Swimming and diving | Swimming and diving |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and field | Track and field |
| Volleyball | Water polo |
| Water polo |
Pitzer's varsity athletics teams compete jointly withPomona College (another consortium member) as thePomona-Pitzer Sagehens.[68] The 11 women's and 10 men's teams participate inNCAA Division III in theSouthern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).[68] Pomona-Pitzer's mascot is Cecil the Sagehen, agreater sage-grouse, and itscolors are blue and orange.[69] Its mainrival is theClaremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags and Athenas (CMS), the other sports combination of the Claremont Colleges.[70] The Sagehens ranked 15th out of 323 competing Division III schools and 2nd among SCIAC schools in the 2024–2025 Division IIINACDA Directors' Cup, which ranks athletics programs and awards points relative to their finish in NCAA championships.[71]
Club and intramural sports are also offered in various areas, such as dodgeball, flag football, and surfing.[72][73] The physical education department offers a variety of activity classes each semester, such as karate, playground games,geocaching, and social dance.[74]Pitzer College began competing with Pomona College in 1970, when it was seven years old. The interim arrangement became permanent two years later.[75]
For the 2024–25 academic year, tuition is $64,888, a estimated total cost of attendance is $89,792.[76] About thirty-seven percent of Pitzer students receive financial assistance in loans, work study, scholarships, and/or institutional grants. Pitzer utilizes the FederalFAFSA and theCSS Profile to determine financial need, and Pitzer has stated a commitment to meeting 100% of every student's demonstrated financial need. The average financial aid package at Pitzer is $40,250. Since 2004, the college has significantly reduced the average amount of indebtedness of its students to $19,422, well below the national average of more than $35,000.[77][non-primary source needed]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |