


Harvey Mudd College holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission, commonly called WSCUC. Its bachelor's program in engineering also has programmatic accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
These are different reviews: WSCUC evaluates the institution, while ABET evaluates a particular engineering program against discipline-specific standards. Institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid and may matter when students seek to transfer credit, although another college decides which credits it will accept. Applicants considering engineering licensure should check the rules of the state where they hope to practice; neither accreditation nor graduation alone confers a professional license.
Admission to Harvey Mudd is selective and centers on preparation for demanding mathematics and science coursework. In the reported entering-class data, the college admitted 645 of 5,094 first-year applicants, an acceptance rate of about 13%. That figure describes a past applicant pool, not an individual applicant's chances.
First-year applicants generally submit an application, secondary-school transcript, recommendations, and written responses. A strong college-preparatory record matters; the reported admissions criteria required a secondary-school record and college-preparatory coursework but did not specify a minimum GPA. Applicants educated outside an English-language curriculum should check the college's current English-proficiency instructions, including which tests or exemptions apply.
In the 2024-25 admissions reporting, SAT and ACT scores were considered but not required. Among enrolled students who submitted scores, the reported median was 1520 on the SAT and 35 on the ACT; these are not admission cutoffs. Testing rules, essay prompts, and Early Decision and Regular Decision deadlines can change by entry year, so applicants should use the instructions for their intended cycle rather than an earlier year's policy.
The reported undergraduate application fee is $70. Applicants should confirm the amount displayed in their application for their entry year before submitting, since fees can change.
Students for whom the fee presents a financial hardship should review the fee-waiver options in the application and Harvey Mudd's admissions instructions. A fee waiver concerns the cost of applying; it is separate from financial aid, an enrollment deposit, and tuition. Applicants seeking a waiver should complete the applicable request during the application process rather than assume a paid fee will be refunded later.
Harvey Mudd students can pursue Army and Air Force ROTC through arrangements with cooperating institutions; Harvey Mudd does not operate those branch units as its own on-campus programs. ROTC enrollment may involve travel to another campus for courses or training, in addition to Harvey Mudd's academic requirements.
Interested students should verify the current host unit, cross-enrollment schedule, physical and citizenship eligibility rules, and scholarship application process with the relevant ROTC program. A scholarship is not automatic, and accepting certain ROTC benefits or commissioning normally carries a military service obligation.
Harvey Mudd accepts transfer applications for fall entry and generally considers transferable work from accredited colleges. Transfer admission is a separate decision from whether particular courses will satisfy Harvey Mudd's degree requirements.
Applicants should expect to provide records of college study and any secondary-school materials specified in the current transfer application. Because the college's common core is unusually structured, a course that transfers as credit may not replace a particular core requirement or shorten time to graduation. The reported incoming transfer cohort numbered four students, so applicants should not assume that transfer places are plentiful. Before deciding to enroll, a prospective transfer student should seek an official evaluation of completed coursework and a realistic degree-completion plan from the college.
Harvey Mudd students may pursue study abroad, but a semester away requires careful academic planning around the common core and major sequences. International study is an option to arrange with college approval, not an automatic part of the degree.
Students considering a partner or outside program should establish in advance which courses can count toward their major, humanities and social sciences requirements, or general credit. They should also check how their particular financial-aid package applies to the proposed program and budget separately for travel, housing, and other expenses. Starting those conversations early matters most for majors with courses offered in a fixed sequence.
36% of admitted students enrolled (231 of 645)
Regular application deadline
January 5Application fee
$70Early Decision
Yes, deadline November 15Median composite SAT score
1520Median composite ACT score
35Percent of students submitting ACT scores
21%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
55%High school completions
High school diploma or equivalent is not requiredComputer required
YesComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
NoSecondary school GPA
Considered but not requiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
RequiredRecommendations
RequiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
YesCredit for life experiences
NoAdvanced placement (AP) credits
NoOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesOff-campus study
NoROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
NoPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
NoAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
FallData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.